Huskies Go Toe To Toe With Slovenian National Team

MARIBOR, Slovenia -- In their first taste of European volleyball, the Huskies were challenged and responded, splitting four sets against the Slovenian National Team at Lukna Hall in Maribor on Monday evening. It was Washington's first full day in Europe after leaving Seattle on Saturday and arriving in Slovenia on Sunday morning.

The Huskies spent the first part of the day exploring Maribor, riding bikes to and from the city center from their hotel on the outskirts of the city. After the match, the team had dinner up on top of Pohorje Mountain.

For the first match of the tour, the Huskies started a lineup of Claire Hoffman and Shannon Crenshaw at outside hitter, Madi Endsley at opposite, Sophie Summers and Marin Grote at middle blocker, Ella May Powell setting, and Lauren Bays at libero.
 
Washington's first point came from a Marin Grote quick kill. Crenshaw put one down and then served up an ace. Sianna Houghton had a dig followed by Bays setting Hoffman for a kill for 5-3. Endsley crushed one on the right side for 9-9. The Huskies were down 12-17, but then tied it up on a 5-0 run. The run featured a Grote slide kill, a block by Summers and Hoffman, a Summers kill and an ace by Bays. Crenshaw converted for 21-19 and then Endsley hit from the right for 22-19. The Dawgs finished the set, 25-23, with a block from Crenshaw and Grote.
 
In the second set, Crenshaw had a couple early kills, then Endsley had a couple more and an ace by Hoffman made it 9-8 Dawgs. Summers had a lefty kill and then Crenshaw hit down an overpass for 13-11. Hoffman finished on the right for 18-16, but the Slovenes rallied and forced a Husky timeout at 19-21. Some impressive jump serving from Slovenia kept the Huskies out of sorts down the stretch as Slovenia took it, 19-25.
 
Audra Wilmes and Olivia Mikkelsen got looks to start the third set at outside hitter and defensive specialist, respectively. The Huskies took a 6-3 lead on a Summers quick kill. A block from Endsley made it 7-4 before a Slovenia run tied it. Hoffman hit out of the back row and Powell notched an ace to get UW back in front, 13-11. A dig from Powell was followed by Hoffman setting Endsley for a kill for 16-14, then Crenshaw and Grote had a block. Crenshaw took a free ball and pushed it over on first contact into the corner for a kill for 19-16. A dump from Powell made it 21-19, and a big rejection from Summers and Endsley had the Dawgs on the doorstep at 23-22, but Slovenia then fought back for three in a row to take the set, 23-25.

 
A stuff by Hoffman and Grote put the Huskies up 5-3 in set four. Grote finished a slide and then went back and served up an ace for 8-6. The defense ramped up with a scrambling save from well off the court that Hoffman eventually finished with a kill. Summers and Powell met for a stuff for an 11-6 lead, and then a Powell ace followed by a Hoffman kill made it 16-7 Dawgs. Endsley had a kill on an overpass and the Huskies built a 10-point cushion and went on to win by nine.
 
Due to scheduled court time and the Slovenian squad needing to travel and compete tomorrow in Estonia, the teams did not play a fifth set.