Second half starts as the Cougs head to LA

MATCH PREVIEWS
The Cougs head to Los Angeles for a pair of big time matches and searching for some revenge after falling twice at home to the two LA schools to begin the month. Thursday brings a chance for the Cougs to push their way back to the top of the standings with UCLA perched one game ahead of WSU alongside of UW for the conference lead.
Last time out against the Bruins the Cougs dropped a heartbreaker, falling in five after holding match point in their hands. In the match freshman Katy Ryan came up with a career effort as she produced 19 kills while Pia Timmer added 12. In the last 10 matches the two-sides are even at 5-5, however the Bruins have won the last two matches (both in Pullman). The last time the Cougs won in Westwood came in 2018 in a four-setter.
Sunday brings the Cougs across town to face off against the Trojans who ran away with a four-set win over the Cougs back on Oct. 1 that snapped WSU's eight-match win streak. The Trojans used a balanced attack to outhit the Cougs .266-to-.190 with Timmer the lone Coug to reach double-figures with 17 kills. WSU has struggled at USC winning once in since the turn of the century (however it was the last time the Cougs went to the Galen Center in 2019).

LAST TIME OUT
> The Cougs split a pair of matches at home against the Bay Area schools falling to #15 Stanford in five before sweeping away Cal.
> Against the Bears the Cougs came up with 14 team blocks, the second-best blocking performance of the season. It was also the most blocks in a three-setter for the Cougs since sweeping Fairfield, Sept. 9, 2017 and the most in a three-setter in Pac-12 play since sweeping Utah, Sept. 16, 2015. 
> Overall Pia Timmer led the way with 27 kills while Magda Jehlarova added 14 blocks and Kalyah Williams chipped in nine including a career-best eight against Cal.

QUICK NOTES
> The Cougs are back on the road after a quick weekend at home. Last time the team hit the road the Cougs went a perfect 4-0 winning all 12 sets against the Arizona and Oregon school.
> WSU enters the week ranked #22 in the AVCA poll, holding the same spot as the week prior.
> Magda Jehlarova, a two-time Pac-12 DPOW, enters the week ranked 1st in the Pac-12 with 100 total blocks and 2nd with a 1.39 blocks per set average. Offensively she is 4th hitting .369 on the year.
> Pia Timmer enters the week 4th in the Pac-12 at 3.97 kills per set while she is 4th with an impressive 0.35 aces per set.
> Freshman Katy Ryan sits 7th in Pac-12 hitting percentage as the first year opposite has posted an impressive .368 average with 90 kills in conference play.  
> Penny Tusa continues to serve her way up the top-10 aces list as she is 3rd all-time with 131 career aces, two from 2nd place. The record is 143 set by LaToya Harris (1999-02).
> WSU ranks 36th in the RPI entering the weekend while sitting 20th in the Pablo Rankings.
> WSU continues its 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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