Hoffman, McPherson Shine In Win Over Arizona

Sunday, November 4

Seattle, WA

12:00 PM

University of Washington

15-9, 7-7Pac-12

Arizona

18-8, 7-7Pac-12

Arizona

Washington

Photo by: Red Box Pictures

November 04, 2018 | Volleyball

Box Score VIDEO: Claire Hoffman Interview VIDEO: Pac-12 Network Recap VIDEO: Top Husky Highlights Box Score PDF

By: UW Athletic Communications

SEATTLE – Freshman Claire Hoffman broke into the Husky lineup five matches ago, but today was the breakthrough performance, as the Pleasant Hill, Ore. native had a new career-high in kills with 21, ten more than her previous best, and hit a scorching .463 to lead the Huskies to a four set win over 21st-ranked Arizona. Junior Shayne McPherson starred on the defensive side, as she set a new career-high as well with 28 digs in the 22-25, 25-23, 25-18, 25-15 Husky win at Alaska Airlines Arena in front of 2,577 fans.

Washington fourth-year Head Coach Keegan Cook picked up the 100th victory of his tenure today, as the Huskies improved to 15-9 on the season and got back even in Pac-12 play at 7-7. Arizona dropped to 18-8 and 7-7 as well.

Coach Cook said he was very happy for Hoffman. "In her first three starts I didn't think she showed what she's known for which is really good decision making as a hitter and managing tough sets and hitting lots of good shots," said Cook. "Tonight she looked more like herself; the player we thought she could be. Certainly can't count on her for twenty kills and hitting .450 every night, but just making the right choices. She's always done that so fun to watch her out there today."

For the second-straight match the Huskies had a new season-high for blocks in Pac-12 play with 13.0. Their 76 digs was also a new season-high for the year. Washington hit .216 overall and held Arizona to .152. Today was the fifth time the Dawgs have won despite losing the first set.

"Arizona came out on fire offensively and I thought we didn't show up with a lot of energy or effort, which has been a challenge for us on Sunday afternoons. The turning point was in that second set, there were some great long rallies that we won. Shayne was as good as I could hope for, just a lot of balls coming her way and she answered the challenge over and over again."

Hoffman notched 21 kills on 41 attempts and made just two errors while adding an ace and eight digs. Kara Bajema had 12 kills and 17 digs and Samantha Drechsel had 11 kills and got in on six blocks. A number of those blocks came alongside junior Avie Niece, who put down eight today after she had nine on Friday. Sophomore Lauren Sanders also had six kills, hitting .417, with three blocks. Freshman Ella May Powell distributed 47 assists with 11 digs, two aces, and two blocks.

UP NEXT: Washington travels to Los Angeles next week to take on USC on Nov. 8 followed by UCLA on Nov. 10.

SET 1: Claire Hoffman opened things up with a kill on the first swing of the match for the Huskies. Bajema ended a long rally with an offspeed finish to extend to a 6-3 Husky lead. Hoffman's third early kill made it 8-5 and Arizona called timeout. Out of the break, McPherson punched up a dig and Drechsel finished, then UW took the next point on its first block, as Avie Niece and Drechsel sent one down for a 10-5 lead. Hoffman and Niece then had another stuff for 12-6 Dawgs. Arizona got right back into the set with a 5-0 run to force a Husky timeout at 12-11. Hoffman broke the run by running down an inside set and smartly flicking it to the back line. Lauren Sanders had her first kill for 14-12. Arizona had another 3-0 run to tie it back up at 15-15. Some poor passing led to some Arizona points as they pulled into a three point lead at 16-19 and the Huskies used their final timeout. The Dawgs got back within one at 20-21 on kills from Baejma and Hoffman, but Arizona scored the next two to get back up three. Drechsel finished off the block on the right and then after a McPherson dig, Hoffman finished for 22-23. Arizona had a kill in serve-receive for set point at 22-24. A long rally ended in a block for Arizona to end it, 22-25. The Huskies hit only .174 in the set compared to .310 for the Wildcats. Hoffman had six kills on 12 swings without an error and Bajema had five kills, hitting .250, but the rest of the Huskies had just three kills combined.

SET 2: The Huskies grabbed another early lead in the second set as Sanders and Powell had a block and then Maria Bogomolova served an ace for a 5-2 lead. A string of Wildcat errors got the Dawgs up, 9-5, and Arizona called timeout. Hoffman had two kills helped by Arizona blocking errors for 11-7. Arizona got within two, but Bajema slammed one from Powell and then Niece and Drechsel teamed for a block for 16-12. A Niece tip kill forced an Arizona timeout at 17-12. Out of the break, the Huskies kept pushing, as McPherson pancaked one up and Bajema tooled the block, and then Drechsel broke through the block in transition for 19-12. Hoffman put another away from the left set by Powell for 21-14. The Dawgs got to set point with an incredible point, as McPherson dug a blast from Arizona and Powell just flipped it back over by the net post, then Sanders jumped up for a solo rejection for 24-18. But after that huge play, the Huskies gave up three straight set point chances and needed timeout at 24-21. Out of the break, Arizona saved two more to make the crowd nervous and UW took its second timeout at 24-23. Finally, on its sixth chance, Bajema put one down from the left to end it, 25-23. The Dawgs were outhit, .270 to .250, but pulled it out thanks to a couple aces and three blocks.

SET 3: Hoffman opened the third set with a kill but three in a row early for Arizona made it 2-5. Freshman Marin Grote checked in and Powell went to her at the first chance and she put down her first swing for 3-5. The Dawgs got back even at 7-7 on a couple Arizona errors and a Drechsel kill. Drechsel then added another and then Powell dug an Arizona dump attempt and Hoffman finished the Bajema set for 9-7 Dawgs. Sanders got a tip to drop for 11-8 and Arizona took timeout. Out of the break, Julye had a painful dig, but a dig nonetheless, and it led to a Hoffman blast for 12-8. Hoffman landed another for 13-8 and Arizona used its last timeout. Two more stellar digs from Julye led to a rip from Bajema for a 15-9 lead. Bajema turned back an Arizona swing for 17-11 Dawgs. An Arizona set missed its target and floated over to UW's side where Drechsel smashed it down from the right for 19-13. Niece and Drechsel then stuffed the next UA attack for 20-13. The Wildcats inched back with a 3-0 run for 21-17 before Drechsel put another away from the right. Hoffman rolled one to the floor and then Julye dropped in an ace for set point at 24-18. This time the Huskies didn't waste any chances, as Hoffman finished it with a kill for 25-18. Washington held Arizona to only five kills in the set, while the Huskies put away 18. Drechsel got hot with six kills on 10 swings without an error and Hoffman had six more kills on 10 swings with just one miss.

SET 4: Bajema had a solo block on the first point of the fourth set, then two points later Powell and Niece built a wall for another rejection and Arizona used a quick timeout at 3-0 Dawgs. The break worked as Arizona came back out and scored three in a row to tie it up before Niece got a quick attack to fall and then Niece and Drechsel rejected one for 5-3. Niece finished a marathon rally with a kill out of the middle, and then Bajema fired an ace. Hoffman struck up the left sideline in transition and then Niece and Drechsel roofed one to keep the Husky run going. Powell found Hoffman again for a crosscourt kill and then another block from Niece finished off the 6-0 Husky run, making it 12-4. An ace from Julye extended the lead to 15-6. Sanders put a slide off the block for 18-8. Bajema lasered one to the deep corner and then Powell dialed up an ace for 20-9. Arizona made a push back with a couple blocks to cut it to seven at 20-13 but Niece had a big swing from the middle for 21-13. Hoffman had another kill and a block for 23-14. Drechsel brought the Dawgs to match point at 24-15, then appropriately, Hoffman got the final kill, jumping up to smash an Arizona overpass back down to end it, 25-15. The Huskies hit .184 in the last set but held Arizona to .000 for the second set in a row. Hoffman had five more kills and Niece got going with four kills on six swings and four blocks in the set.