Husky Showdown Goes Washington’s Way

Saturday, September 10

Honolulu, HI

8:00 PM

University of Washington

7-0

Northern Illinois

5-4

Northern Illinois

Washington

September 10, 2016 | Volleyball

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By: UW Athletic Communications

HONOLULU – Washington volleyball was in control from start to finish in a sweep of Northern Illinois this evening at Hawaii's Stan Sheriff Center, picking up its seventh-straight win to start the season and setting up a big match against 14th-ranked Hawaii on Sunday. The Huskies from Seattle handled the Huskies from DeKalb, Ill. by a final count of 25-16, 25-14, 25-21, hitting .324 and holding NIU to a .113 attack percentage.

The Dawgs got double-doubles from junior outside hitters Crissy Jones and Tia Scambray, as Jones had 12 kills and a match-high 14 digs while hitting an impressive .550. Scambray had 10 kills and 10 digs, hitting .261. Courtney Schwan also had nine kills and seven digs, while Bailey Tanner distributed 36 assists and had four blocks. Freshman Kara Bajema collected five kills and had two aces to go with six blocks, all in set one.

"First I thought Northern Illinois did a really nice job playing a third match in a very short amount of time, so I think they'll do quite well in their conference," said Head Coach Keegan Cook. "I thought we played well especially on the defensive side of the ball. If we could cut down on some errors, getting in the net and some attack errors, it would have made for a little cleaner match."

Facing Hawaii on Sunday "Will be a special experience, one that I hope every player that plays in this program has an opportunity to experience," said Cook. "We're looking forward to just a great match with Hawaii."

Like looking in a mirror! Huskies (UW) greet the Huskies (NIU) after the Huskies you know and love prevail! pic.twitter.com/muyYaM6BPP
— UW Volleyball (@UWVolleyball) September 11, 2016

The teams were even through the first six points, with Destiny Julye getting two of UW's first three kills. The first rejection of the evening came from Jones and Bajema for a 4-3 lead. Jones served up an ace to make it 6-4. Bajema had a solo roof in the middle to add another, and then Jones hit out of the back row after floating another tough serve that disrupted the opposing Huskies. The run reached five points as Tanner and Bajema earned UW's third early block to make it 9-4 and NIU called for time. Yet another block was produced out of the break, this one by Scambray and Bajema, and then Scambray got a transition kill off a touch call for a seventh-straight point and an 11-4 lead before NIU broke through on the next rally. Tanner and Bajema then teamed up for two more stuff blocks as the Dawgs grabbed the lead, 14-5, and forced Northern Illinois' last timeout. Out of the break, Schwan recorded her first kill, tooling the block for a 10-point lead at 15-5. Jones planted one on the other side off a Tanner set and Scambray got one down inside the block for a 19-9 advantage. A perfect pass from Schwan let Tanner set Bajema for a quick kill and 21-11. The Dawgs reached set point on a Bajema kill and an NIU error. Northern Illinois saved four in a row, but the Huskies finally closed it out with a Schwan crosscourt kill from the left to make the final 25-16. The Huskies hit .250 in the set and held Northern Illinois to .059 thanks in part to the six blocks in the frame, all of which Bajema had a hand in, as she had one solo and five block assists.

Washington got out to a 3-0 lead to start the second set with a Tanner dump for a kill and then an ace from Tanner. A couple times the NIU Huskies caught the net as UW pushed ahead 7-2. A 4-0 run from NIU cut the lead down to one, but Bajema snapped that streak with a kill on a slide, and then Jones hit in transition from the right followed by an NIU error as the Dawgs responded with a 3-0 run of their own for 11-7. Tanner slid over for a stuff on the right pin and she set Jones for a transition kill moments later to get the lead back up to 14-9 and NIU called timeout. Out of the break, Bajema fired an ace, and then on the next point she laid out for a dig that led to a Schwan kill. Bajema then dialed up another ace and her next serve produced a free ball that Schwan eventually finished for 18-9 and NIU took timeout again. It was an 8-0 run before NIU finally got a kill off the block but Schwan got the sideout right back with her fifth kill for 20-10. Avie Niece put down her first kill from a Tanner set, and she had a solo block two points later to make it 23-13. Niece then got UW to set point by reading the overpass off the Schwan serve and pushing it down for the kill. Crissy Jones found the back corner to end it, 25-14. The Huskies hit .303 in the set and again held NIU under .100 at .069. Jones was especially active in the set with five kills and six digs.

Jade Finau and Carly DeHoog came in for the first time to start things off in set three. Finau set DeHoog for UW's first kill of the set on the second rally. Schwan put away the second of two straight overpasses from NIU to even things at 4-4. Schwan followed that with a block and a roll shot kill for a 6-5 Husky lead. The teams traded sideouts for several points, with Scambray, Jones and Bajema all connecting for the Dawgs. Bajema finished and DeHoog finished a pair on the right side as the U-Dub Huskies inched ahead, 13-10. Jones nailed her 10th kill off the block on the right for 17-13. Schwan's leftside swing made it 19-14 Dawgs and Northern Illinois took time. NIU got within three at 20-17 but Tanner dumped over on second contact for the next point. Washington gave up an ace short and then hit one wide as the lead shrunk to one, but Jones tooled the block for a key kill for 22-20. A clutch swing off the block from Scambray got the 23rd point and Scambray finished the next one in transition from Tanner for match point at 24-21, prompting the last Northern Illinois timeout. On the next point, NIU hit one crosscourt but wide, and the Huskies finished off the sweep, 25-21. The Huskies hit a match-best .405 in the final set with Jones converting five of six swings for kills without an error and Scambray adding four kills and six digs.

Washington will now face its first ranked opponent of the season on Sunday, facing the 14th-ranked Rainbow Wahine. That match gets going at 4:00 p.m. in Hawaii, 7:00 p.m. back in Seattle.