Huskies Look To Rebound At Home Vs. Arizonas
November 19, 2014 | Volleyball
This Week In Husky Volleyball
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21
#5 Washington hosts #13 Arizona • 8:00 p.m.
Alaska Airlines Arena
Live Stats - Live on Pac-12 Network
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23
#5 Washington hosts #22 Arizona State • 11:00 a.m.
Alaska Airlines Arena
Live Stats - Live on Pac-12 Network
SEATTLE - Just two weeks remain in the regular season, and the Husky volleyball team looks to take full advantage of the four matches to come as it aims to be clicking on all cylinders come postseason play. After winning a program record 25 straight matches, the Huskies were dealt a pair of defeats by very slim margins last week at Colorado and Utah. Dropping to No. 5 in the national poll, the Huskies will look to clean up their play back at home this weekend, hosting 13th-ranked Arizona this Friday at 8 p.m. and 22nd-ranked Arizona State on Sunday at 11 a.m. Both matches will be televised live on the Pac-12 Networks.
Now at 25-2 and 14-2 in the Pac-12, the Huskies need to win to have a shot at catching back up with No. 1 Stanford, which now has a two-game lead in the conference as the last undefeated team in Division I. Arizona comes to Seattle as the No. 3 team in the Pac-12 this week in both the standings, at 10-6, and the AVCA poll, at No. 13. The Sun Devils are tied for seventh at 7-9 but look to be on track for an NCAA bid with a 17-11 record and a No. 22 ranking.
Last week the Huskies had a number of chances to extend their winning ways, but too many self-inflicted errors cost them. At Colorado, the Huskies had a set point in each of the first two sets, but ended up losing both, and after rallying to win the next two sets, UW suffered eight errors in the final set to lose. At Utah, the Huskies had a pair of match points, but couldn't put the Utes away and fell in a fifth once again. The Huskies had not hit under .200 all season, but hit just .177 at Colorado and .190 at Utah, so getting back in rhythm on offense will be the main objective.
This weekend will feature three of the top-five outside hitters in the Pac-12 in Krista Vansant, who ranks fourth in the Pac-12 with 4.58 kills per set, Arizona's Madi Kingdon who is second with 5.26, and Arizona State's Macey Gardner who is fifth with 4.25. Washington won the first meetings between the teams this year, sweeping ASU in Tempe and winning in four sets at Arizona.
