Since mid-October, the WSU volleyball team has been in a slump. In Friday’s senior night day one match against UCLA, they lost in five sets to UCLA and were handed their seventh loss of the season. 

But, the team will need to try to put that match, and the last eight overall, behind them if they want to continue their hopes of making a deep playoff run. Like Friday’s match, the team will honor several seniors prior to first serve, with the final three getting recognition. 

Karly Basham, Weronika Wojdyla and Iman Isanovic will all be honored Sunday. 

Still a top 10 team, the No. 9 Cougs (19-7, 9-6 Pac-12) host No. 25 USC (17-8, 11-4) in Bohler Sunday. The Trojans have played better than WSU in Conference action, even previously taking down the Cougs when they were No. 4 in the nation. 

Despite out-hitting the Trojans .279% to .246% in their last matchup, the Trojans defended their home court in a reverse sweep, dominating the last set 15-8. WSU had four players reach double-digit kills, led by Pia Timmer with 18. Isanovic had a double-double, with 13 kills and 11 digs, but alas, it was not enough to come away with the win.

With a win, the Cougs will hit several important marks. It will be their 20th win of the season, making head Coach Jen Greeny only the second coach in WSU program history to reach the mark in three consecutive seasons. It will be the program’s 20th win all-time against the Trojans and it will reset the momentum of the season. 

As the season winds down, several Cougs come ever closer to breaking records. Timmer, after eight digs in the loss to UCLA, is just 45 away from reaching 1,000 for her career. Magda Jehlárová, who had a team-leading six blocks against the Bruins, needs just 23 more to break the Pac-12 record and 18 more to break the NCAA rally-scoring era record.

Despite the rough stretch for the Cougs, the season moves on. The only important thing is the match ahead. That next match is at noon, in one hour, against USC in Bohler.