Cougs Blast Utah WSU, Notre Dame Win Spikeoff Openers

The Washington State University volleyball team got one thing out of the way quickly in Friday night’s opening match against Utah at Spikeoff Spokane. The Cougars lost their first game of the season.

Then, they got something else out of the way - the Utes, a team that started out fast and furiously, but fizzled to the sixth-ranked Cougars 11-15, 15-2, 15-5, 15-5 at the Arena.

“We couldn’t get anything going hitting-wise. The blockers couldn’t get anything blocked. Basically, the first game was pretty ugly,” said Washington State coach Cindy Fredrick, whose team improved to 5-0.

In the second match, host team Gonzaga (2-2) stayed with Notre Dame (3-1) for the first 1-1/2 games, staging one long rally after another, but the 20th-ranked Fighting Irish eventually cleaned up in three games 15-10, 15-7, 15-0.

“We played good the first game and pretty good the first half of the second game. After that, maybe it was the realization that we weren’t going to win. I don’t know.” Gonzaga coach Eva Windlin-Jansen said. “I was disappointed in the second part of the match because we gave up. The fire wasn’t there.”

Four matches are scheduled for today’s final day of the tournament, beginning at 11 a.m. when Notre Dame faces Utah, followed by Gonzaga vs. Washington State. The Bulldogs and Cougars played one week ago today with WSU winning in three games.

Tonight’s schedule begins at 6 with Gonzaga facing Utah, followed by the tournament’s most anticipated match-up - Washington State vs. Notre Dame.

Washington State 3, Utah 1

Utah jumped out to a 7-1 lead and led by as much as 12-4 in the opening game. But the Cougars quickly took control and responded by stringing together six consecutive points, despite dropping the game 15-11.

“When we came back 15-11, we could have won that game,” Fredrick said. “At that point, I thought ‘We’re OK.”

And the result was a near-perfect second game as the Cougars gave up two points and committed just one error.

“We were ready. We were excited about this challenge. But they’re a better team than us,” said Utah coach Beth Launiere, whose team is off to a 1-2 start.

After leveling the match at 1-1, the win was never in doubt as Washington State allowed just five points each in games three and four.

“The hitters really started to step it up. But the biggest thing was the blocking,” Fredrick said. “We really capitalized on their setter, being so small. We told (WSU setter) Stephanie (Papke), just to take the ball out there and just do it.”

Papke, 6 feet tall and a second-team All-American senior, finished with 60 assists. Junior outside hitter Jennifer Stinson had 29 kills (.621 hitting percentage). She also led the team in digs with 14, followed by senior middle hitter Keren Oigmen’s 12.

Utah’s 5-8 setter Graciela Torres finished with 45 assists and Kalani Tonga led the Utes with 14 kills (.355). Brenda Barton-Whicker had 16 digs to go along with nine kills.

Notre Dame 3, Gonzaga 0

Jaimie Lee, a Ferris High School graduate, made the most of her homecoming by leading the Irish with 18 kills (.469). She also had seven digs and one service ace in her first game in Spokane since her senior year in 1994.

But Gonzaga, a much improved team from last year, put up a good fight in the beginning. It trailed 7-6 before Notre Dame put together its first run, resulting in a 13-7 lead. The game ended when Nora Grasham’s shot landed into the net.

Notre Dame made 15 errors in the match to Gonzaga’s 25.

“We got a little bit more familiar with their patterns,” explained Lee, a left-side hitter.

Gonzaga stayed close in the second game and tied it at 7 before Notre Dame scored the final eight points.

Theresa Spink and Diana Pascue had nine kills each for Gonzaga, as the Bulldogs hit .121 percent to Notre Dame’s .352.

“It was actually a good match,” Notre Dame coach Debbie Brown said. “But Jaimie Lee and Lindsay Treadwell stepped it up at the end. Treadwell had a great match from start to finish.”

Treadwell, a 5-11 middle blocker, finished with 14 kills (.650) and a team-high 10 digs.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: ON DECK N. Dame vs. Utah, 11 a.m. WSU vs. GU, 1 GU vs. Utah, 6 WSU vs. ND, 8