Cougs best Bears under the Haas Pavillion lights, fall to StanfordĀ 

Pia Timmer makes history, but Cougs split weekendĀ 

WSU+outside+hitter+Pia+Timmer+serves+the+ball+during+a+scrimmage+for+season+ticket+holders%2C+Aug.+20%2C+at+Bohler+Gymnasium.

COLE QUINN

WSU outside hitter Pia Timmer serves the ball during a scrimmage for season ticket holders, Aug. 20, at Bohler Gymnasium.

BRANDON WILLMAN, Multimedia editor

The Cougs stayed consistent as they notched their ninth-straight win against unranked competition, beating California 3-0 and losing their fifth-straight match against ranked competition, losing to Stanford 3-1.

WSU volleyball (10-5) traveled to take on the California Golden Bears (7-6) and took them down in a sweep 3-0 (25-17, 25-11, 25-12). Following the win, they stayed in California for a battle against the No. 9 ranked Stanford Cardinal (8-4), falling 3-1 (25-19, 16-25, 25-15, 25-23).

WSU versus Cal

In the match against Cal, Pia Timmer would lead the team with two blocks and 13 kills, along the way reaching a historic feat. With her second kill of the match, she would tally career kill number 1,000. She is the fifteenth Coug to reach the feat, keeping her in elite company.

It was an easy win for the Cougs. They had complete control since the end of the first set.

They would have a slow start to the first set, but would go on a 13-3 run to all but seal the set win. As a team, WSU overall would slash for 44 kills and nine errors on 95 total attacks for a hit percentage of .368, controlling the momentum.

It was dominance on both sides of the ball, as they would hold Cal to a mere .035 hit percentage and had stellar performances from the back defensive line.

ā€œI think we were really good in the transition game and had some great digs.Ā  I thought [outside hitter] Laura (Jansen), [libero] Karly (Basham) and [defensive specialist] Julia (Norville) all did a really nice job in the back row and our hitters did a great job of just being aggressive,” said head coach Jen Greeny.

The ability to play aggressively has been the key to victory for the Cougs thus far this season, as all games where they controlled the aggression, they came out on top.

WSU vs. Stanford

In the second match of the week, the Cougs would fall to the No. 9 ranked Stanford Cardinal squad.

After splitting the first two sets, Stanford would take two straight to win the match. It was a tough loss for WSU, as they blew a late fourth set lead that could have forced a competitive fifth set.

Argentina Ung continued her all-around dominance tallying impressive offensive and defensive stats. On offense, she tallied three kills and 31 assists while adding 18 digs on defense.

Along with Ung, Jansen was the most consistent offensive player as she hit for a line of 15-3-40, .300.

It was a defensive battle through-and-through as neither team would hit above a .214 line. Errors and clutch plays were the difference between the Cougs upsetting Stanford and the loss they took. WSU committed 25 errors to the Cardinalā€™s 18 and the team could not close out the sets they needed to to take the win.

It was their best showing against a ranked opponent, but they continue to struggle with clutch end-of-set plays to pull off an impressive win.

Following the matches in California, Magda Jehlarova was named the Pac-12 defensive player of the week with her 2.71 blocks per set, according to WSU athletics.Ā 

The Cougs will be back in action Friday at 7 p.m. in Bohler Gymnasium for the first time in over a month as they take on the Oregon Ducks in the return of former Coug Hannah Pukis.