Huskies Stumble In Salt Lake City

Friday, October 26

Salt Lake City, UT

5:00 PM

University of Washington

13-8, 5-6

Utah

13-10, 5-7

Washington

Utah

Photo by: Red Box Pictures

October 26, 2018 | Volleyball

Box Score Box Score PDF

By: UW Athletic Communications

SALT LAKE CITY – Close in every set, but with no cigars to show for it, the Husky volleyball team lost a tough three-setter to Utah tonight at the Huntsman Center. Washington finished with a higher attack percentage than Utah, and yet lost in straight sets, certainly a rarity, with the close set scores of 23-25-24-26, 22-25.

Washington lost its fourth straight and dropped to 5-6 in Pac-12 play and 13-8 on the season while Utah improved to 13-10 and 5-7. The Huskies had five point leads in both the first and second sets, and three set points in a row in set two, but Utah came back to win both.

The Huskies hit .273 for the match compared to .265 for the Utes, but Utah had six aces compared to just two for the Dawgs, and in sets that close that made the difference.

"Although we received the ball well for stretches, we got aced in critical moments by some outstanding serves," said Head Coach Keegan Cook. "Although we didn't have the aces, we were able to drive them off the net and give our defense a chance, but we missed a number of digs in the third set.

"The margins don't get much smaller than tonight. There are lessons these young players will learn from these difficult moments."

Lauren Sanders and Kara Bajema each had 10 kills for the Huskies, Sanders hitting .438 and Bajema hitting .348. Ella May Powell had 38 assists and Avie Niece had five kills and five blocks.

UP NEXT: Washington will head to Colorado to take on the Buffaloes on Sunday at 11 a.m. Pacific time, live on Pac-12 Networks.

SET 1: Drechsel opened things up with a right side kill for the Huskies and then Bajema finished a McPherson bump set for 2-0. Lauren Sanders and Powell had a block for a 4-1 Husky edge. Washington had a 4-0 run with Hoffman getting a kill inside the block, then Niece converting a slide kill. Sanders served an ace to the far corner and then Niece and Hoffman teamed for a block for a 9-4 lead and Utah took the first timeout. Hoffman put two kills away on the left pin for 11-7 Dawgs. Utah scored the next three however to get back within one and the Huskies called timeout. Utah aced the Huskies to tie it at 12-12, with Sanders putting one away to regain the lead and then Bajema slamming straight to the floor for 14-12. But Washington hit the skids at that point, making a rash of errors to help Utah to an 8-1 run as the Utes took the lead, 15-20. Powell broke the run with a kill off a Utah overpass, and then Shannon Crenshaw got her first kill for 17-20. Utah hit one long and then Niece converted a slide in transition for a fourth-straight and 19-20, forcing a Utah timeout. Utah went back up, 20-23, but the Dawgs rallied again on kills from Drechsel, then Bajema, then a block by Drechsel and Niece tied it at 23-all. UW got caught with an ill-time net violation for set point Utes, and then Bajema's swing was dug on the next point and Utah converted to end it, 23-25. The Huskies had 17 kills in the set to just 11 for Utah but UW made nine attack errors and three service errors while Utah had just five hitting errors and did not miss a serve.

SET 2: Drechsel had a solo block to give the Dawgs a 5-3 lead early in the second set. Sanders finished a quick set from Powell for 8-5 Dawgs. The Utes came back and tied it up again at 9-all, then the teams traded sideouts for a run. Niece put a slide set down and then she teamed with Hoffman for a block to cap a quick 3-0 run for a 14-11 Husky lead. Niece then had a kill for 15-13 at the media timeout. Bajema ended a good rally with a kill from the left for 17-14 Dawgs. But the lead was gone with a 3-0 Utah run right back for 17-17 and the Huskies took timeout. Bajema got a kill in serve-receive out of the break and then ended a long rally with another finish to the far corner. A slide kill by Sanders made it 20-17 and Utah called time as the 3-0 runs kept going back and forth. This time the Huskies would keep it going, as McPherson laid out for a dig and Bajema finished off the block, then Sanders finished a slide for 22-17. Utah scored two after a second timeout, but Julye destroyed one out of the back row for 23-19. But the Dawgs needed a timeout after an error and a Utah ace made it 23-21. Utah missed serve to give UW set point. Utah had a kill to save the first, then Niece hit wide on a slide attempt for 24-23, and the Dawgs got aced yet again to lose their final chance. Utah won the next two rallies and just like that the Huskies were in an 0-2 hole after having three chances to tie it.

SET 3: Utah carried its momentum from the second set comeback out to a 7-1 lead in the third set. Sanders had a block to cut the gap to five points at 7-12. Julye hit out of the back row again for 10-15, but Washington had trouble passing again for a stretch and Utah pulled away again out to a nine point lead at 10-19. Hoffman had just the second ace of the match for the Huskies for 13-19. Bajema had a kill and Utah hit long and it was a five-point gap again at 15-20. Sanders and Drechsel then made it four with a block and Utah called timeout. Utah got the sideout but Bajema answered for 17-21. Some tough defense forced a Utah error and then Crenshaw had a transition finish on the left for 20-22. Niece and Powell stuffed down a Utah tip attempt to get within one at 22-23 and Utah used its final timeout. The Utes had a kill to get to match point, and on the next rally, the Huskies got caught in the net to end it, 22-25. The Huskies hit .321 in the set while Utah hit .293 but Utah had 21 kills compared to just 11 for the Dawgs.