For the eighth-straight time when the Cougs and Cal matched up in volleyball, WSU came out of the match with a sweep. Over the past four years, the two programs have trended in opposite directions, thanks in large part to Magda Jehlárová, Pia Timmer, and the rest of the senior classes’ progression over the years.
WSU (19-6, 9-5 Pac-12) took down Cal (15-10, 4-10) in a sweep 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, 32-30). The Cougs hit .400% as a team, and it looks like their recent offense struggles got lost on the trip from Stanford to Berkeley, California.
While Cal has not been their strongest recently, a standout freshman similar to the production Timmer and Jehlárová put up all those years ago has carried the Golden Bears this season. Maggie Li has won five of the 10 Pac-12 Freshman of the Week Awards as of Oct. 30.
Li finished in a tie with Timmer for most kills in the match Sunday, finishing with 14 while hitting .267%. She added six digs for her efforts, one more than Timmer on the night. Li was the only Golden Bear to hit above .200% with at least 10 attacks.
After hitting .370% in the first set and .357%, the Cougs found themselves down 17-20 late in the third set. Coming alive to try to secure the sweep, an extended red zone loomed ahead. After struggling getting the wins in extended red zones early in the season, the Cougs got the win to secure the sweep.
Their .400% hitting as a team is one of their highest marks of the season, and they held Cal to just .188%. They out-aced the Golden Bears 4–3, got out-dug 29–28, won the block battle big 12–2 and had seven less attack errors.
Katy Ryan’s efficiency stood out on the side of the Cougs, leading players with at least 10 attacks at .625% and finishing with 12 kills and six total blocks. Argentina Ung led all players, regardless of number of attacks, with her highly efficient .857% hitting and six total kills to go along with her 35 assists and five digs.
Magda Jehlárová continued her chase for records with eight total blocks, finishing with seven block assists and one solo block. Now at 727 blocks for her career, she is 30 shy of the all-time Pac-12 record and 24 shy of the NCAA record for the rally scoring era (since 2001).
The reigning Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year is having one of the best seasons of her WSU career, averaging 2.41 kills per set on a career-high .429% efficiency.
Jehlárová and several other players will be honored for their contributions to the program when WSU returns to action next. Prior to to the 7 p.m. first serve in Friday’s match against UCLA, four of the eight graduating seniors will be honored in the Senior Day festivities in Bohler Gym.
