Northridge, Calif. (September 19, 2024) – Washington State Volleyball battled in another five-set thriller, defeating Cal State Northridge 3-2 Thursday night.

The Cougars (5-3, 0-0 WCC) have now won five of their last six games and move to 4-1 in five-set matches this season.

Katy Ryan led the offense with a career-high 23 kills and 54 attacks, to go along with seven total blocks for 28.5 points on the night.

Sage Brustad was also in double-figures with 19 kills, three blocks, an ace and 13 digs.

Emma Barbero paced the team with 21 digs, and also added two aces and 10 assists.

Lucie Blažková had a strong night with nine kills, two blocks, an assist, and an ace, while Italia Bernal also filled the box score with 37 assists, 14 digs, an ace and two kills.

Taryn Vrieling added five kills and an ace. Jaden Walz tallied 12 assists and 11 digs.

Weronika Wojdyla finished with six kills, four digs and a block, and Breccan Scheck had four blocks, two kills and an ace.

The first set went back-and-forth early until a 5-1 run that included a Vrieling ace and three-straight kills from Ryan, Blažková and Brustad put WSU ahead 17-13. CSUN wasn't done, coming back to even the score late in the set, 24-24, but the Cougs were able to finish strong with kills from Brustad and Ryan to win set one 28-26.

Early kills from Ryan and Wojdyla put WSU ahead in set two before four unanswered points behind two Brustad kills gave the Cougars a 12-8 advantage. Kills from Ryan and Blažková started what turned into a 6-2 run, stretching the lead to 20-14 and forcing a CSUN timeout. After that, Wojdyla and Ryan kills brought the game to set point, and a Barbero service ace sealed the 25-17 set-two win to put the Cougs up 2-0.

Teams traded points in set three until a Bernal ace and a block from Ryan and Scheck highlighted a 6-1 scoring run to put the Cougars ahead 10-5. Kills from Vrieling, Blažková and Scheck kept WSU in front 19-16, but CSUN followed that up with a 5-1 stretch of their own to take a 21-20 lead before ultimately winning set three 25-23.

The fourth set was another close battle, seeing 18 ties while neither team led by more than three points. The set finished in favor of CSUN, however, sending the match to a fifth and final set.

Down 5-3 to open the final set, kills from Ryan and Brustad propelled a 4-0 spurt to give the Cougs a 7-5 lead. Kills from Blažková and Bernal kept the two-point lead intact, 10-8, and although CSUN would take a brief lead one final time, 12-11, two kills from Ryan down the stretch sealed the set for WSU, 15-13, and the match, 3-2.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Katy Ryan

• Finished with 28.5 points to put career total at 1,104.5, 14 shy of entering the WSU all-time top-10 list.
• Ryan tallied 23 kills to put her career total at 947, 53 away from 1,000 and 306 away from the WSU All-time top-10 list.
• Ryan holds a career attack percentage of .278 (947-343-2176), good for sixth-best in program history.
• She has played in 107 career matches, 22 away from entering the WSU all-time top-10 list.
• Ryan is now at 394 career sets played, 74 from entering the WSU all-time top-10 list and 110 away from 500.

NOTES

• Sage Brustad recorded her third-straight double-double, and fourth of the season with 19 kills and 13 digs.
• Emma Barbero tallied her sixth match of the season with 20+ digs, and with her 10 assists, collected her first career double-double.
• Jaden Walz recorded her second consecutive double-double and third of the year.
• Italia Bernal was also one of four to record a double-double on Thursday, and leads the team with five this season.
• Katy Ryan's four solo blocks tonight was also a career-best.

UP NEXT
The Cougars continue on the road, taking on Long Beach State on Friday, Sept. 20. First serve is set for 6 p.m. live on ESPN+.

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