Washington Win Streak Snapped By No. 20 Trojans

Sunday, October 1

Los Angeles, Calif.

1:00 PM

University of Washington

13-2, 3-1Pac-12

USC

12-3, 4-0Pac-12

Washington

USC

October 01, 2017 | Volleyball

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By: UW Athletic Communications

LOS ANGELES – Carly DeHoog enjoyed one of the best matches of what has already been an outstanding senior season, but her 15 kills were not enough as the sixth-ranked Huskies were upset in straight sets by 20th-ranked USC at the Galen Center, in the final match of a nine-match road trip. Washington (13-2, 3-1 Pac-12) had an 11-match win streak snapped as USC (12-4, 4-0 Pac-12) took it 25-20, 25-21, 28-26 in front of 2,615 fans.

Washington, which had come back from 0-2 down a week ago at Arizona State and from down one set at UCLA on Friday, made another strong effort at extending things, as they rallied from 14-20 down in the third set to tie it, then saved three match points, but UW could never get a set point of its own, and USC got the win in the most unfortunate of ways, with a serve that hit the top of the net and just dropped over for an ace.

"I think it was mostly a matter of execution offensively," said Head Coach Keegan Cook. "USC played a great match defensively and so we needed to be sharp offensively, and we just didn't have some things in place."

"I don't doubt our character or resiliency, I think that third set said a lot about them," continued Cook. "I think lesser teams might have packed it in, but we went for it, but we have to add execution to our list of traits so that we can get through some of those long stretches."

DeHoog's 15 kills were the second-most of her career and most ever in a three set match. She had just two errors on 29 swings for a .448 attack percentage and also had eight block assists. But the Huskies hit just .140 as a team, a season-low, while USC finished at .205. The Trojans had three aces compared to just one for the Huskies, only the second time this year that UW had fewer aces than its opponent.

Senior Marion Hazelwood had seven kills and matched DeHoog with eight block assists, but the next highest kill total was Destiny Julye with four, and she only attacked in the third set. Senior Tia Scambray had 10 digs in the third set and 16 for the match, while Bailey Tanner had 29 assists and eight digs, and came back into the match after missing a stretch in the second set after injuring a finger while blocking.

The Dawgs had a couple early blocks to grab a 3-1 lead at the start of the match. The first UW kill was from Marion Hazelwood for a 4-2 lead. Washington hit out on two points to let USC tie it up at 5-all, but Kara Bajema put one down to regain the lead. But USC scored the next four points to go on top, 6-9, and UW needed a timeout, having made five errors early. DeHoog got her first kill straight to the floor out of the timeout to break the run. The Huskies tied it up at 12s with a 3-0 run on a Sanders slide kill and a Hazelwood slam off a USC overpass. Two more stuffs from the Hazelwood-DeHoog combo swung UW back in front by one at 14-13. DeHoog then ended a back-and-forth with a blast from the right for 15-13 and USC took timeout. Bajema ripped past the block in serve-receive for 17-15 Dawgs. DeHoog finished again and then Bajema hung up to stuff down a tip attempt for 19-16. The Husky offense stalled and USC won four of five points to take the lead, 20-21, and force UW's last timeout. Washington couldn't get a sideout to break the run and USC closed out the set with seven straight points to win, 20-25. The Huskies had seven blocks in the set but only eight kills, hitting just .029.

Tanner got the first ace for the Huskies to start the second set, and then DeHoog finished in transition for a 2-0 lead. DeHoog added two more kills from the right for a 5-4 lead. The Trojans went on a 3-0 run and Tanner suffered a finger injury on the 5-7 point, prompting freshman Natalie Robinson to check into the match to set. Robinson went over on two for her first career kill on the second point, and the Dawgs tied it up at 8-all on a USC error. But the Huskies gave three points right back to USC with a double contact, a swing into the net and an ace for 8-11 and UW took timeout. Tanner was able to check back into the match with a wrapped up finger at 9-12 down. Washington fought back within two at 13-15 on kills by Hazelwood and DeHoog, but then a service error and an attacking error put them back down four and prompted a timeout. Sanders had a much-needed block out of the timeout for 14-17. Schwan showed some relief after getting her first kill to go down, and that sparked the Dawgs to a 3-0 run to close to 19-21, as Hazelwood finished in the middle and DeHoog and Hazelwood had a big block. But the Dawgs couldn't get any closer, dropping the set, 21-25. The Huskies improved their hitting to .265 in the set but USC was a shade better at .270. DeHoog had five kills and Hazelwood four to power the offense.

A transition finish from DeHoog off a Tanner backset evened the third set at 2-2. The Trojans had a three point run for 3-6, but DeHoog stopped it with a rocket to the hardwood. Destiny Julye hit a sharp angle for her first kill of the day for 6-9. Hazelwood had a slide finish to cut it to 9-11 Trojans. But USC won four of the next five points to push the deficit back to 10-15 at the media timeout. Julye put one down in serve-receive out of the timeout but USC answered on its next swing. Julye got another point on a sharp transition kill to pull within three. But a Trojan kill and a Husky attack error dropped the Dawgs back down five at 14-19 and forced UW's last timeout. Tanner broke the Trojan run by dumping to end a marathon rally and then USC sent one long for 16-20 and USC called timeout. A tough serve from Bajema forced the Trojans into an error for 17-20 but her next serve found the net. Tanner threw down for another point and then DeHoog went up the right sideline in transition as UW crept within two points. Tanner's serve was then overpassed and Avie Niece hit it down for 20-21, and the Trojans used their final timeout. Out of the break, Niece and DeHoog roofed the Trojans to tie it up at 21-21. USC answered with a kill off a broken play and then a block, but UW fought back again with two straight DeHoog slams for 23-all. USC got a right side kill to reach match point at 23-24, but DeHoog hammered it away with a sharp swing from the right in serve-receive. Sanders tried to poke a tight set over but sent it wide for 24-25, but USC served wide. UW gave the point right back with its own service error, but Julye saved the third match point with a kill down inside the block for 26-26. USC killed in serve-receive to earn a fourth match point chance, and on its next serve, the ball caught the net and trickled over and down for an ace to end it, 26-28. DeHoog had seven kills in the third set and Scambray had 10 digs, but it wasn't enough as the Dawgs hit just .135 with USC hitting .191 in the frame.

The Dawgs will finally return home and look to get another win streak going next Friday, Oct. 6, with an 8 p.m. match against a 15th-ranked Utah squad.