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A perfect finish as the Cougs sweep Cal for the second time

by wsucougars.com
Nov 11, 2021

PULLMAN, Wash. – For the first time in program history No. 21 Washington State (17-8, 11-4) came up with a sweep on the road in Berkeley as the Cougs took down Cal (7-19, 0-15) Thursday night at Haas Pavilion.

Set scores from the match were: 25-19, 25-23, 25-14 in favor of the Cougs.

Picking up where they left off a few weeks prior in Pullman, the Cougs jumped out to an early lead against the Bears behind a dominant attack that saw WSU hit a match-best .387 to open the night. The Cougs would use a pair of mini runs to grab the lead midway through the set, taking a three-point advantage just after the media timeout. Just as the Cougs' were beginning to really get into rhythm the set came to a screeching halt as star outside hitter Pia Timmer went down with an injury that would keep her out the rest of the way. Despite the loss of Timmer the Cougs were able to finish off the win in the opening set thanks to a perfect start from Magda Jehlarova as the standout middle tallied four kills on four swings to lead the attack. She would also come up with a pair of blocks in the set as the Cougs recorded three total blocks while holding the Bears to just .167 hitting.

All would change for the Cougs in the second set as the Bears took advantage of the loss of Timmer for WSU, keying on Jehlarova to take the the third-year middle out play and wrest control of the set from WSU. Behind a 6-0, the Bears were able to take a 17-11 lead late in the second set as Cal looked to even the match at one set apiece. For the Cougs nothing was going their way as Cal seemed to dig every attack while finding the openings in WSU's defense to take the lead. However, the Cougs would not go quietly as all-american setter Hannah Pukis took control of her team and turned the Cougs' fortunes by changing up the attack to claw back into the set. In addition, Pukis zeroed in her serving as she came up with back-to-back aces to pull the Cougs within one at 22-21. The Cougs would complete the comeback moments later, putting an exclamation point on the rally with a big solo block from Jehalova, her second block of the comeback efforts.

The momentum of the comeback would continue into the third set as Jehlarova came up with two more blocks and another kill to push out to a quick lead. Leading 12-10, the Cougs began to spread the ball around while Pukis found a rhythm with her Ung as the duo hooked up for five kills as WSU pulled away for the victory. In all the Cougs would run off 13 of the final 17 points to nab the sweep, wrecking the Bears' offensive attack through a dominant service game netting three aces including a pair from Karly Basham that would close out the match.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH
Hannah Pukis came up with her ninth double-double of the season as the fourth-year setter tallied 28 assists and 13 digs. In addition she came up with a career-high four aces while also posting five kills and three aces.
INTO THE TWITTER-VERSE

MATCH NOTES

  • The Cougs swept Cal for the fourth-straight match.
    • The win was the first for the Cougs in Berkeley since 2013 snapping a five-match skid on the road against the Bears.Additionally the win marked the first sweep for the Cougs in Berkeley in program history.
  • WSU ran its current win streak to four-straight matches including three sweeps.
    • The Cougs improved to 6-1 on the road in Pac-12 play with all six wins coming via a sweep.
  • The 11 service aces in the match marked the third-straight match of double-digit service aces for the Cougs and fourth of the season.
    • Penny Tusa and Hannah Pukis led the way with four aces each. The four aces for Pukis was a career high.
    • Tusa moved within one ace of the Cougs' all-time record closing out the match with 142 career aces.
  • Hannah Pukis finished the match with her 9th double-double of the season posting 28 assists and a match-high 13 digs. She would also add five kills and three blocks.
  • Argentina Ung led the Cougs' attack with 9 kills on .333 hitting.
  • The Cougs posted 10 team blocks. In six sets against the Bears the Cougs tallied 24 total blocks.
    • Magda Jehlarova led the way with 7 blocks. She would add five kills. 
      • In the match Jehlarova saw her streak of 50-consecutive attacks without an error come to an end as she went nearly 10 full sets without an error dating back to the Cougs match at USC two weeks prior.
  • WSU heads across the bay to take on No. 20 Stanford Saturday, Nov. 13 at 8 p.m.

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