First leg of Boeing Apple Cup Volleyball begins Sunday

WASHINGTON STATE (7-4, 1-0 PAC-12)
vs. #6 Washington (7-2, 0-1 PAC-12)   |   Sunday, Sept. 26   |   Noon
> Live Stats | StatBroadcast
> Watch | Pac-12 Network (Analyst: Greg Heister)
 
MATCH PREVIEW
The 2021 edition of the Boeing Apple Cup Series begins Sunday in Pullman as the Cougs play host to #6 Washington to rekindle the rivalry. The two teams have not met since 2019 after last season's edition of the cup was cancelled due to Covid-19 protocols. The brief hiatus came when the Cougs had taken all the momentum in the series having won the last three matchups including sweeping the 2019 series. Last time in Pullman the Cougs defeated the then #8 Huskies, 3-1, in the opening match of Pac-12 play on Sept. 25, 2019 behind the stellar play of Pia Timmer (14 kills, 7 digs) and Magda Jehlarova (10 kills, 6 blocks). Jehlarova was even better in Seattle two months later when she came up with 12 kills and a career-best 10 blocks, her first career double-double. The Cougs are 24-68 all-time against the Huskies.
The #6 Huskies come into the match Sunday fresh off the sting of a 5-set loss to #15 Utah in Seattle Wednesday night. The loss snapped a six-match winning streak for UW. Marin Grote and Claire Hoffman led the way with 16 kills, a piece.

LAST TIME OUT
> The Cougs started Pac-12 play with a bang, knocking off previously unbeaten and #24 ranked Colorado, 3-0, Wednesday night at Bohler Gym.
> The middles did the work for the Cougs as Magda Jehlarova and Kalyah Williams each produced 10 kills while rightside Katy Ryan hit .700 with seven kills. Jehlarova added tied a season high with six blocks including three solo efforts.
> WSU came up with 8 aces (the second-best total on the year) led by Jehlarova who tallied three in the match.
> The sweep was the Cougs fourth in four matches at home in 2021 and their sixth in their last seven matches (all wins). It was their first win over a ranked team in 2021 and first since downing #18 UCLA, 3-2,  Feb. 4, 2021 last season in Pullman.

QUICK NOTES
> The Cougs won their Pac-12 opener for the third-straight season with the win over #24 Colorado Wednesday.
> WSU has swept its opponents in six of the last seven matches winning 21 of the last 22 sets played including all 12 set played at home in 2021. 
> Junior Pia Timmer is the reigning Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week after earning MVP honors at the Thunderdome Classic last week. Against Colorado Timmer finished her night with 9 kills and 7 digs.
> Setter Hannah Pukis is on the verge of setting her way into the Cougs' all-time top-10 for assists. She enters Sunday's match with 2,089 career assists, 4 shy of the 10th all-time. (2,093 - Renee Bordelon, 2008-09).
> Magda Jehlarova enters the match with 58 career solo blocks (8th all-time). She needs just one against the Huskies to catch her coach, Jen (Stinson) Greeny for 7th with 59 while Taylor Mims sits in 6th with 63. Her 1.15 blocks per set ranks 8th all-time at WSU.
> WSU begins its real pursuit of a 16th overall and 6th-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. 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
 
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