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Rebel Challenge Next Up For WSU

by wsucougars.com
Sep 2, 2021

#25 WASHINGTON STATE (0-2, 0-0 PAC-12)
vs. #8 Purdue (2-0, 0-0 BIG10)    |    Friday., Sept. 3      |   4:00 p.m. PT
at (RV) UNLV (2-1, 0-0 MW)        |    Satruday, Sept. 4   |   4:00 p.m. PT

> Live Stats (vs. Purdue)     |     Stats Link

> Watch (at UNLV)                |     Mountain West Network
> Live Stats (at UNLV)          |     Stats Link
 
WEEK PREVIEW - KEY NOTES
The No. 25 nationally ranked Cougars will begin the second week of competition this fall, squaring off against the No. 8 ranked Boilermakers of Purdue at the Rebel Challenge hosted by UNLV. These programs have only faced each other once, back in 2016 at the Purdue Mortar Premier located at West Lafeyette, Ind. The neutral site contest for Friday, Sept. 3 is set for a 4:00 p.m. start time inside Cox Pavilion at Las Vegas.

Washington State will then take on Rebel Challenge host UNLV, received votes in the latest AVCA Coaches Poll. It has been over a decade since these two squads played one another, with the last match up occurring back in 2007. The Cougs and Rebels will get underway at 4:00 p.m. from Cox Pavilion as well, Saturday, Sept. 4. 

Leading the Cougars after the Carolina Classic was 5th year senior Penny Tusa who posted a combined 35 kills, a hitting percentage of .361, and 3.89 kills per set within those two matches. Tusa also recorded three service aces to see her career total jump up to 111 overall, and she remains eighth all-time in WSU volleyball history. Penny also has played in a total of 109 matches for the Cougs, which sees her approaching 10th all-time in WSU history in that category as well.

Redshirt junior Hannah Pukis continues to add up the assists for the Cougs, as she finished the Carolina Classic with 95 total in two matches. Pukis sees her career total up to 1,776 now and she is certainly on pace to crack the Washington State top ten in all-time assists. Currently sitting at No. 10 for WSU all-time is  Renee Bordelon (2008-09) with 2,093 total assists. 

Washington State is one of only 17 programs (14 from Power 5 Schools) in the nation, out of 334 total schools, to qualify for the NCAA Championship Tournament in 5 consecutive seasons (2016-20). - Others included are: Baylor, BYU, Creighton, Florida, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Purdue, San Diego, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin WSU has finished in the Top 5 in the Pac-12 standings, four out of the last five years.

WSU Volleyball was tabbed fifth in the Pac-12 Preseason Coaches Poll, which is also an all-time high for conference preseason rankings for the Cougs. Washington State also saw another program high, as three student-athletes were selected to the All-Pac-12 Preseason Team, the most in WSU history. Those individuals were Hannah Pukis, Magda Jehlářová, and Pia Timmer.
 
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