PHOENIX, Ariz. – (September 6, 2025) – Washington State volleyball battled to the wire in Phoenix on Saturday night, taking Grand Canyon to a decisive fifth set before falling 3-2 (27-29, 21-25, 25-17, 25-21, 12-15) inside Global Credit Union Arena.
The Cougars (2-3, 0-0 WCC) showed resilience after dropping the first two frames, storming back with a dominant third set and a controlled fourth to even the match. Lucie Blažková led the way at the net with 15 kills on .419 hitting and six blocks, while
Eliana Ti'a paced the attack with a team-high 17 kills and 15 digs. WSU's offense clicked in sets three and four, hitting .275 and .385 respectively.
Italia Bernal directed the attack with 31 assists, and
Taryn Vrieling chipped in a match-high 17 digs.
Livia Ward and
Maddy Joswick provided key sparks off the bench, combining for three service aces and timely kills that helped swing momentum back to the Cougs in the middle sets. WSU out-hit the Lopes .242 to .209, and out-dug them 78-64 as they showed improved balance across the front line.
NOTES
- Lucie Blažkova hit .419 on the day, as she is hitting .540 through the first five matches of the season.
- Eliana Ti'a set career-highs in kills (17), digs (15).
- Taryn Vrieling set career-highs with 17 digs and two solo blocks.
UP NEXT
The Cougars wrap up at the GCU Classic on Sunday, Sept. 7, taking on East Texas A&M at 11 a.m. PT.
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