WSU Whips Idaho In 3 Games
College volleyball
It didn’t take much to motivate the Washington State University women’s volleyball team for Saturday night’s non-league “border” match with Idaho.
All the Cougars had to do was think back to one year ago, when the Vandals won the bragging rights.
WSU wouldn’t be denied in 1995.
The Cougars disposed of Idaho in straight sets, 15-9, 15-10, 15-10, before a record crowd of 3,356 at Bohler Gym.
WSU, ranked No. 9 by the USA Today/AVCA poll, hiked its record to 13-0. The 27th-ranked Vandals slipped to 14-3.
“For (the Vandals) it’s a big game to beat us,” said Cougars middle hitter Keren Oigman. “We shouldn’t give them any chances, especially after we lost at their place last year.
“Teams that are rivals, you know you have to win.”
Oigman was just one of the stars for WSU. The sophomore from Bat Yam, Israel, collected 11 digs, 11 kills and four block assists.
Cougars All-American candidate Sarah Silvernail led the team in kills with 14. Sophomore outside hitters Elis Arias and Shannon Wycoff added 11 kills and 11 digs, respectively.
Idaho got a match-high 17 kills from standout senior Tzvetelina Yanchulova, as well as a boost off the bench from underclassmen Jemena Yocum (13 digs) and Beth Craig (nine kills).
But Idaho seemed intimidated at the start of the match, falling behind 9-1 in the first game.
Arias’ soft tip for a sideout set up the game-point won by the Cougars on Craig’s hitting error.
Five service aces, plus five kills from Jenny Herndon, sparked WSU in the opener.
“We were tentative in three games,” Idaho coach Tom Hilbert said. “We have played better. Their tempo is a lot faster than ours right now simply because of ball control. They pass more accurately and lower. To WSU’s credit, they served at the right people.”
Silvernail and Arias picked up seven kills apiece in the second game.
WSU pulled away from a 6-6 deadlock, as Silvernail served five straight points. The Cougars scored off blocks from Oigman and setter Stephanie Papke, along with an Arias tip to forge an 11-6 lead.
Seven sideouts later, a Silvernail tip left the Cougars up 14-8, but the Vandals rallied behind a cross-court kill from freshman outside hitter Jessica Moore.
A hitting error on Oigman and outside hitter Louisa Kawulok’s kill pulled Idaho to within 14-10. But Arias killed for a WSU sideout.
And Silvernail’s lone ace of the game was the clincher.
Back-to-back aces by Wycoff boosted the Cougars to a 6-2 lead in the third game.
WSU stretched the lead to 12-6 behind the serving of Wycoff and the net play of Arias and Papke.
Idaho took advantage of liberal WSU substitutions, and closed to within 13-10 as Yanchulova pounded the ball through a block. But Papke answered with a block for a sideout.
WSU got game- and match-points off consecutive Idaho errors, including an errant block and a long hit.
WSU coach Cindy Fredrick said she wasn’t as concerned with the Vandals as with preparing for Pacific-10 Conference opponents Washington (last Thursday) and Stanford (this Friday).
“Stanford is pretty huge,” Fredrick said of the Cardinal, 6-0 in conference. “That’s why we can’t put a whole lot of emphasis on this match.
“I think it’s great for the sport. You see tonight how packed it is.”
Other area matches
Sarah Noriega led a strong hitting attack with 13 kills as the defending West Coast Conference champion Loyola Marymount Lions (2-0, 10-3) swept Gonzaga (2-16, 0-2) 15-3, 15-4, 15-4. Loyola had a. 480 team hitting percentage, while Gonzaga hit only .095.
North Idaho College split two matches in pool
play at the North Idaho College Tournament, losing to Southern Idaho 15-8, 15-2, 17-15 and defeating Yakima Valley Community College 15-13, 15-9, 8-15, 15-11. Teena Fortin lead the hosts with 21 kills in the two matches.
In other tournament play, Ricks defeated Spokane Falls CC 15-8, 15-8, 15-11 and Yakima Valley 15-3, 12-15, 15-11, 15-8, and College of Southern Idaho swept SFCC 15-8, 15-7, 15-11.