Dawgs Push For Pac-12 As Regular Season Wraps
November 26, 2013 | Volleyball
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27
#5 Washington hosts Oregon State • 6:00 p.m.
Alaska Airlines Arena
Live stream on GoHuskies.com
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29
#5 Washington hosts Washington State • 8:00 p.m.
Alaska Airlines Arena
Live on the Pac-12 Network
SEATTLE - The Husky volleyball team returns to its home floor with two final matches on hand this Wednesday and Friday, and the opportunity to lay claim to a Pac-12 conference championship. Washington (24-2, 16-2 Pac-12) hosts Oregon State on Wednesday at 6 p.m., and then takes on the rival Washington State Cougars Friday night a few hours after the Apple Cup dust settles in Husky Stadium. Friday will also be Senior Night for the Dawgs, a chance to honor the four Huskies playing their final seasons: Kylin Muñoz, Jenni Nogueras, Jenna Orlandini, and Gabbi Parker.
Wednesday's match, which begins at 6 p.m., will be streamed live on GoHuskies.com, while Friday night's 8 p.m. battle will be televised live on the Pac-12 Networks.
The Huskies need one win to earn a share of their first Pac-12 title since 2005, and two wins to win the title outright. Stanford sits one game behind Washington in the conference race at 15-3, with USC at 14-4 in third-place.
Following this week's matches, the focus will quickly turn to the NCAA tournament, and the unveiling of the tournament bracket will happen this Sunday, Dec. 1, at 6:30 p.m. PT on ESPNU. Washington could be selected to host the first and second rounds, likely to take place on Dec. 6-7.
Washington has not faced the Beavers this season, as UW plays the Oregon schools just once each this year. The Beavers were 9-2 in non-conference play but have not won a match in Pac-12 play, though they have won at least a set in eight of their 18 matches. Teams have outhit the Beavers on the season, .226 to .177. Senior libero Becky Defoe is fourth in the Pac-12 with 4.55 digs per set, and junior setter Tayla Woods ranks seventh with 10.07 assists per set. The Huskies have a 20-match win streak over the Beavers.
The Cougars have earned two wins over Top-25 competition in their past three outings, earning five set upsets over USC in Pullman and at California last weekend. That moved WSU up to 5-13 in Pac-12 play. Washington State hosts Oregon on Wednesday before coming to Seattle. Washington won the first meeting this year, way back on Sept. 25, winning all three sets by 25-17 scores. Kyra Holt was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week this week for the fourth time this season. She leads WSU with 3.94 kills per set and is also seventh with 0.29 aces per set. Middle blocker Ver'Leea Hardaway is hitting .338 to rank 10th.
