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Huskies Outlast Cardinal In Senior Day Classic

by gohuskies.com
Mar 28, 2021

SEATTLE – The only thing missing was a few thousand more fans. Otherwise this Washington Volleyball Senior Day had it all. High-level play from the Dawgs and the opposing Stanford Cardinal, long rallies, big swings, multiple turning points, and in the end a thrilling Husky victory in a match that approached three hours. The Huskies (15-3) needed five sets and then some to finally put away a depleted but game Stanford squad, 22-25, 25-12, 33-31, 18-25, 16-14 at Alaska Airlines Arena.
 
"You want your team to face a test like that at this point in the season, and Stanford certainly brought it today," said Head Coach Keegan Cook. "I just think it's a credit to both programs, the level of volleyball that was being played, the intensity in some really critical moments. I walk away impressed with Stanford's perseverance to get where they are with all they've been through.
 
"It took all of who we are and what we do to come away with that win and margins are really thin at this point in the season. It's a big moment for us leading into the last week of conference play."
 
In the final match of the season at Alaska Airlines Arena, the Huskies honored senior Maria Bogomolova, the Russian native who has contributed in many ways on and off the court over the past five years. She added an ace and three digs today in her final home match.
 
"Maria is the embodiment of commitment without conditions," said Cook. "She is a Washington Husky to her core and has left a legacy of care and concern I know will live on in her teammates."

 
The match featured several momentum swings, as the Cardinal took the first set but then the Dawgs dominated in the second. Washington had a big lead in the third but Stanford fought back late and saved two set points to tie it at 24-24. From there the Huskies would have five more set point chances, and Stanford had three of its own, before a Sanders and Drechsel block ended it, 33-31.
 
But the Cardinal still responded with a six point run to take control of the fourth set and push it to a fifth. There the Huskies trailed 6-9 before going on a 4-0 run to take the lead. At 13-all, Hoffman finished from the right pin to earn match point, but Stanford blocked UW on the next point to tie. The Cardinal missed a serve to give UW a second chance, and this time it was the Husky block that rose up, with Sanders and Drechsel stuffing it on the right just as they did to end set three.

 
Defense ruled the day as both teams hit under .180 but racked up the digs and blocks. Washington's 98 digs is its most this season and third-highest total since the 2006 season. Five Huskies had 15+ digs today. Shannon Crenshaw had a career-high 26 digs. Emma Calle was one off her career-high with 15. Ella May Powell dug 18, Claire Hoffman had a career-high 17 digs, and Samantha Drechsel dug 16.
 
Hoffman also had a career-high 22 kills to lead the offense while Drechsel put down 19 kills and Madi Endsley added 11. Lauren Sanders had 10 blocks including team with Drechsel for the final one on match point.
 
Sanders also surpassed the 500 career blocks mark tonight, becoming just the fourth Husky ever to do so, joining Makare Desilets (1994-97; 677 blocks), her coach Leslie (Tuiasosopo) Gabriel (1995-98; 613 blocks), and Lianna Sybeldon (2012-15; 543 blocks).
 
UP NEXT: Washington now sits in first place in the conference standings with one week to go, and the Huskies will try to win a Pac-12 title on the road next week in Berkeley, taking on California on Thursday, Apr. 1, and Saturday, Apr. 3.

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