PULLMAN, Wash. (October 17, 2026) — Washington State women's volleyball lost to Fresno State in another 5-set battle, 3-2 Saturday at Bohler Gym.
The Cougars (8-9, 3-4 Pac-12) rallied in a pivotal fourth set from down 17-15 to lead 20-18 and win 25-23, but Fresno State took the fifth set 15-11.
The WSU attack line included 61 kills, 11 blocks and six aces.
Eliana Ti'a led WSU with 17 kills and 17.5 points and added 19 digs.
Audrey Hollis finished with 27 assists, four service aces and six digs.
Naomi White recorded nine kills and a team-high eight total blocks.
Kambree Rodriguez collected 18 digs and added an assist.
Fresno State broke from a 1-1 tie in set one with six straight points and later led 14-7 before WSU worked back within two, 19-17. Ti'a cut it to 23-22, Kryssa Moerman fought off set point with a kill, and a bad set tied it at 24-24 before Fresno State took the set 26-24 on a kill and a WSU attack error.
The Cougars were down 5-3 in the second set before Hollis helped serve WSU into a 7-5 lead, then later sparked a four-point burst that included three Ti'a kills for an 18-14 edge. Fresno State tied it at 18-all and the teams traded points through 22-22 before Livia Ward put WSU ahead with a dump kill. Elma Bajraktarevic added an ace, and Ward finished the 25-23 win with another kill.
WSU built leads of 5-1, 11-4 and 13-7 in the third set, but Fresno State cut it to 13-11 and later used six straight points to move in front 21-19. Hollis and Moerman helped WSU tie it at 22-22, and Ti'a tied it again at 23-23 before Fresno State scored the final two points for a 25-23 win.
Fresno State opened the fourth set with the first three points and later led 17-15, but WSU answered with kills from Kate Hayhurst, Madyn Cervellera and Hayhurst to move in front 18-17. The Cougars later led 22-19, and after Fresno State tied it at 22-22, White’s kill, a Fresno State bad set and a service error closed WSU’s 25-23 set-four win.
Cervellera opened the fifth set with a service ace, but Fresno State moved ahead 3-1 and later led 8-5. WSU cut it to 8-7 and then took an 11-10 lead on back-to-back kills by Ti'a from Maddy Joswick, but Fresno State closed with the final five points to win the set 15-11.
Notes
- As a team, WSU has totaled 60+ kills and 10+ blocks in back-to-back matches
- WSU has recorded 8+ blocks in 15 of 17 matches this season, and 12+ in seven of them.
- Eliana Ti'a recorded a career-high of 19 digs.
- Ti'a has registered 17+ kills in each of the last two matches, and at least 17.5 points in three straight.
- Naomi White has notched 6+ total blocks in 11 of the last 16 matches
- White surpassed the 100-block milestone this season with her eight total blocks today.
- Audrey Hollis has recorded 3+ kills and 15+ assists in 10 of the last 12 matches.
- Kate Hayhurst recorded a career-high of 12 kills.
- Hayhurst has recorded 3+ blocks in back-to-back matches.
- Livia Ward has tallied 20+ assists in three straight matches.
- Maddy Joswick matched a career-high of 10 digs.
Up next, WSU hosts Colorado State Thursday, Oct. 22, at 6 p.m. in Pullman, Wash.
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