University of Washington
Canadian National Team (exh.)
Dawgs Battle Past Canada In Exciting Exhibition
September 06, 2015 | Volleyball
SEATTLE – It may have been an exhibition, but it was certainly the most intense match of the young season for the seventh-ranked Husky volleyball team, as Washington pulled out a four-set victory over the visiting Canadian National Team tonight at Alaska Airlines Arena. All three sets won by the Dawgs came down to the wire, with UW learning a lot about its potential strengths against a national team comprised of professionals and many former NCAA All-Americans.
After claiming the first set, 25-22, the Huskies were on the losing end of a set for the first time this season, struggling to a 13-25 second set loss. But after intermission the Dawgs refocused and played the clutch moments better in sets three and four, taking set three 25-23, and saving a set point in the fourth before winning 26-24.
Head Coach Keegan Cook knew the Canadian squad would be a big challenge, and he “liked how we did in a lot of late game situations when things were close. It was a side-out battle in those last two sets, just back and forth. That's a lot of pressure to put on your team to keep siding out at that rate, so I was really pleased with the fact that we could hang in there with a team that was siding out well.”
Sophomore Courtney Schwan led the Dawgs with 14 kills and also shared the team lead with Cassie Strickland with 14 digs. Sophomore Tia Scambray added 12 kills and nine digs plus a pair of aces and three blocks. Senior Melanie Wade had eight kills on a .444 attack percentage and a team-high five blocks. Katy Beals also turned in a double-double with 22 assists and 11 digs. Washington won despite being outhit overall, .264 to .209, but most of that difference was all in the second set. The Huskies had nine aces compared to four for the Canadians, while blocking favored Canada, 11.0 to 9.0.
This was the third meeting between Washington and the Canadian National Team in the past three years, as the teams played on consecutive days back in 2013, both of which also ended in 3-1 wins for the Dawgs.
“I think we were pretty close to our serving identity in tonight's match,” said Cook. “We were pretty tough throughout all sets. Maybe could have done it with a few less errors. Canada could slow a lot of things down; they're big, they made a lot of good touches at net and played good defense behind it. So a lot that we're going to get to learn, I'm eager to get to the film.”
Wade and Beals posted a stuff to get UW on the board in the first set, then Beals served five points in a row as the Huskies built a 5-2 lead. Scambray had three kills during that early burst. The Canadians rallied to tie and eventually pushed out to a 10-13 advantage that forced the Huskies into a timeout. Out of the break, Lianna Sybeldon netted a kill, then Cassie Strickland served up consecutive aces, one off the tape and one bouncing off the defense into the crowd to get the Huskies back even at 13-all. The teams went back and forth with an ace from Scambray giving UW a one-point lead at 16-15, but Canada won five of the next six to go up 17-20 and UW took its last timeout. Again Sybeldon came through to stop the bleeding, and then Bailey Tanner dropped in an ace to get within one. A kill from Schwan set by Strickland tied things, and then Schwan earned another kill on a Canada block error to make it 21-20 and force a Canada timeout. A Canadian miss made it a two-point cushion, and UW got to set point after a Sybeldon put-away and a Canadian error. Tanner found Wade in the middle for a kill to end the first set, 25-22. The Huskies outhit Canada, .250 to .200 in the set, with four aces making a big difference.
Washington got off to another strong start in the second set, opening up a 9-5 lead with a pair of Wade kills, two from Schwan, and an ace by Strickland. But Canada mounted a big charge after that, tying the score up at 10-10 and extending out to a 10-14 lead as the Huskies had a momentary lapse in passing. A block from Wade and Scambray helped the Huskies get back within three points, but Canada had another serving run to make it 13-20 and force the last UW timeout. UW was unable to break the momentum and Team Canada finished off the set, 25-13.
After the intermission, the Huskies had regrouped, and scored the first three points on a Scambray kill, a Wade put-away off an overpass, and an error by the Canadians. Freshman Destiny Julye got into the action with a big swing on the right for 6-3, but Canada caught up again at 9-9. Julye had another finish and then Schwan and Sybeldon earned a rejection to put UW back up one. Senior Kim Condie subbed in and flummoxed the defense with a floating ace for 13-11. A 3-0 Canada run got them back up one at 16-17 and UW took timeout. Jones finished a Tanner set out of the break, then consecutive kills by Wade and Scambray inched UW back ahead. Two Team Canada miscues made it 21-19 Dawgs and Canada called time. Another big swing from Julye went off the block and down for 22-20. After a Schwan kill, Sybeldon and Scambray got up for a huge roof of Canada's Dana Cranston to get to set point at 24-21. Canada saved a pair to force a Husky timeout, but after a brief rally, Canada misplayed a swing into the net to end it, 25-23.
The fourth set would prove to be the closest yet, as there were 22 tie scores during the frame. No team had more than a one-point advantage until the Canadians went up 10-12, but a block by Sybeldon and Julye and a Schwan dig that ricocheted over and down for a kill evened it back up, and Sybeldon put one down for a 13-12 lead. Again Canada crept ahead by a couple points, but Wade had a quick kill and then a couple Canada errors made up a 3-0 Husky run to swing the lead back at 18-17. The teams traded sideouts, with Julye and Scambray helping the Huskies along. Canada went ahead 22-23, but Scambray connected to tie it up. A Husky service miss gave Canada a set point, but Scambray delivered again to extend the set. On the next rally, Scambray rose above the net on the opposite side to stymie a Canadian swing, prompting the loudest cheer of the night as UW went up match point at 25-24, forcing a Canada timeout. Beals stepped to the service line, and drilled one that clipped the top of the tape and rolled over, and Canada was unable to track it down, as UW celebrated with more exuberance for this key exhibition win than any of their five previous matches. In the final set, the Huskies hit .283 to .217 for Canada, and were led by six kills and six digs from Schwan.
Washington will get back regular non-conference play this coming Thursday, when it hosts Cal State Northridge for a 7 p.m. match. UW will then have a double-header at home next Friday, taking on Cal State Northridge for a second time in the afternoon, then finishing with St. Mary's at 7 p.m. Friday night.
