Courtesy of Arizona Communication Services
(PULLMAN, WA) Sophomores Katie Smoot and Candice Denny each set career highs in kills as the 21st-ranked Arizona Wildcats came back to defeat No. 18 Washington State in five sets (23-25, 25-20, 19-25, 25-22, 15-12) on Friday night at Bohler Gym.
Already down two starters entering the match — Kendra Dahlke (sprained foot) and Elizabeth Shelton (concussion) — the Wildcats lost two more starters during the match. Junior middle blocker Devyn Cross suffered a concussion in the third set and junior libero Makenna Martin suffered a groin injury in the fourth. Down a total of four starters and facing a 2-1 deficit, the Wildcats rallied.
Arizona won the fourth set, 25-22, and finished off the match with a 15-12 in the fifth.
“It was an incredible match,” said Arizona head coach Dave Rubio. “Especially considering we lost two more starters to injury. I’ve never been a part of a match lke that. It was the guttiest match I have ever been a part of.”
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Smoot tallied 22 kills on 59 attempts, and Denny accounted for 14 kills on 28 attempts while hitting .429. Sophomore Paige Whipple also came through with 20 kills on the night, her most this season. Junior Julia Patterson registered her 13th double-double of the season (58 assists, 13 digs), which puts her in the Pac-12 lead.
The Wildcats racked up 72 kills in the win, 11 more than the Cougars. Arizona fell behind two sets to one in the match, but bounced back by winning the fourth set despite making ten errors as a team. Smoot, Whipple and Denny capped off impressive nights by closing out the fifth set 15-12.
The two teams are no strangers to five-set matches, as the Cougars defeated the Cats 3-2 in McKale earlier this season. This time around, the Wildcats held the Cougars to a .111 hitting mark in both the fourth and fifth sets to close out the win.
The victory was Arizona’s second win over a ranked opponent this season and was a key victory in UA’s NCAA Tournament resume. Washington State entered the week ranked 10th in the RPI. The win boosts the Wildcats to 18-7, 7-6 Pac-12 while the Cougars fell to 17-6, 8-5 Pac-12. The Cats hope to build on their momentum when they face the Washington Huskies in Seattle on Sunday. Arizona has now won four of its last five matches.
(Set 1: Arizona 23, Washington State 25): Both sides made four errors and tallied 16 kills, but the Huskies out-blocked the Cats by two en route to a first set win.
(Set 2: Arizona 25, Washington State: 20): The Cats duplicate their first set stats with 16 kills and 4 errors, and this time pull away at the end to win the second set.
(Set 3: Arizona 19, Washington State 25): Washington State hits .500 to win the third set and take a 2-1 lead
(Set 4: Arizona 25, Washington State 22): Arizona hits .140 and overcomes 10 errors to win the last four points and pull out the fourth set.
(Set 5: Arizona 15, Washington State 12): Katie Smoot and Candice Denny set career highs in kills to help Arizona come back and beat No. 18 Washington State.
