PHOENIX, Ariz. – (September 5, 2025) – Washington State volleyball battled through a gritty four-set match to take down Northern Arizona 3-1 (25-18, 28-26, 22-25, 29-27) on Friday evening at the Global Credit Union Arena in Phoenix.
The Cougars (2-2, 0-0 WCC) came out firing, hitting .317 in the opening frame behind Lucie Blažkova's hot hand and steady setting from
Italia Bernal. WSU carried that momentum into a thrilling second set, where
Eliana Ti'a and
Camryn Lingenbrink delivered clutch swings to close out a 28-26 win.
After dropping the third, the Cougs showed their toughness in the fourth. Blažkova finished with a team-high 19 kills on an efficient .500 clip, while
Taryn Vrieling (14 kills, 16 digs) and Tia (13 kills, 14 digs) added double-doubles. Lingenbrink was a force in the middle with nine kills on .533 hitting, and Bernal dished out 38 assists while adding 17 digs to pace the defense.
Washington State's back row held strong, posting 82 digs as a team, with libero Tinons Munar Galmés contributing 12 and spreading out the defensive effort.
The win evens the Cougars' record at 2-2 and gives them momentum heading deeper into non-conference play.
NOTES
- Lucie Blažkova hit .500 or better in each of the first four sets to open the 2025 season.
- Blažkova's 19 kills set a career-high mark
- Eliana Ti'a set career-highs in kills (13), digs (14) and hitting percentage (.300).
UP NEXT
The Cougars continue play at the GCU Classic, taking on Grand Canyon Saturday at 6 p.m. PT and East Texas A&M Sunday at 11 a.m. PT.
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