Huskies Take Home Opener Over Memphis

Thursday, September 7

Seattle, WA

7:00 PM

University of Washington

5-1,0-0Pac-12

Memphis

2-6,0-0AAC

Memphis

Washington

Photo by: Red Box Pictures

September 07, 2023 | Volleyball

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By: UW Athletic Communications

SEATTLE – The first home match of Head Coach Leslie Gabriel's tenure went the way so many have during her time as an assistant and player, a Washington sweep. The Huskies (5-1) fended off Memphis tonight in their return to Alaska Airlines Arena with a 25-23, 25-20, 25-21 showing in front of 1,535 fans.

Sophomore Audra Wilmes secured the first double-double of her career with 10 kills and a career-high 11 digs, adding four aces, as the Huskies aced the Tigers (2-6) nine times and had a 40-36 edge in kills and a .211 to .160 advantage in hitting efficiency.

Six Huskies made their official Hed Ed debuts tonight. Freshman Kierstyn Barton had eight kills, as did senior transfer May Pertofsky. The new faces in the middle, Elise Hani and Katy Wessels, combined for five kills and four blocks between them. Transfer setter Kayce Litzau had 11 assists and four digs tonight, and new back-row specialist Grace Zilbert had seven digs and an ace.

First Hed Ed Kill Pt. ?? as freshman Kierstyn Barton joins the chat!#PointHuskies pic.twitter.com/gOef9BLPpZ
— Washington Volleyball (@UWVolleyball) September 8, 2023

Set one saw the Dawgs score the first four points of the match on tough serving from Grace Zilbert. Freshman Katy Wessels killed the first point of her first home match, and fellow freshman Kierstyn Barton got her first kill in the building to make it 11-6. Memphis ran off seven-straight points to take a lead, but Washington scored five out of six with a couple kills by Wilmes to go back up, 19-16. Pertofsky fired an ace for 21-18. UW reached set point at 24-20 but Memphis saved three and forced a Husky timeout. Out of the break, Endsley recycled a tight set and the next one was more to her liking and she hammered it for the 25-23 win. Wilmes had five kills on 10 swings without an error in the set.

Set two was tight in the early stages until the Huskies forced a Memphis timeout with a mini-run for 14-11, with Wilson setting two Pertofsky kills and two Wilmes kills in the stretch. Consecutive kills from Barton and Endsley made it 18-13 and forced the final Tigers timeout. But Memphis rallied back to within one point on two occasions, the last one coming at 20-19. UW answered with a kill from Barton set by Litzau and another from Endsley set by Lauren Bays. A Memphis attack error ended it, 25-20.

Washington used a 7-0 run early in the third set to take control, with Wilmes firing consecutive aces during a stellar streak, and Barton adding two more kills. Hani had four touches on the block in one rally and then she ended it with a kill for 11-3. Once again the Huskies couldn't quite put Memphis away, and the Tigers fought all the way back to even at 15-all. Pertofsky regained the lead with a kill, then she had a block with Hani and another kill followed by an ace to lead the Dawgs back out to a three-point lead at 19-16. Wilmes then dialed up two more aces for 22-17. Memphis made a last push within two points but a block by Wessels and Molly Wilson got to match point at 24-21, and a Memphis hitting error ended it on the next point. Washington had five aces in the last set, four from Wilmes, and hit .256.

One of Audra's quarter of aces tonight!#PointHuskies pic.twitter.com/Cf4j4llueh
— Washington Volleyball (@UWVolleyball) September 8, 2023

UP NEXT: The Huskies will be back in action at the same time tomorrow hosting UNLV at 7 p.m. streamed live on GoHuskies.com. After a day off Saturday, the tourney finishes with UW vs. FIU on Sunday at 12 noon.