After losing in the opening two matches of their three-match weekend, WSU volleyball (1-2) quickly went down two sets to the hosting University of Nebraska Omaha Mavericks. The Cougs lost the first two sets and, after taking a 10-4 lead in the third, gave up three straight points.
Despite Omaha seemingly taking control, WSU weathered another 4-0 run to take the third set 25-21.
With a set win under their belt, it became smooth sailing. A 25-18 fourth set parlayed the momentum into a tight fifth. Omaha took the first three points. The Cougs got their first off an attack error and finally got a lead during a 5-0 run that put them ahead 7-5.
Back and forth the rest of the way, Sage Brustad slammed the ball off a pass from Italia Bernal and the two transfers secured the first win of the 2024 season.
The new players came to play Sunday with Brustad leading the way at 19 kills and adding seven digs. It was the best match of the young season for her, as she limited her attack errors to just seven while hitting .226%.
Breccan Scheck had nine kills of herself while hitting .313%, all while blocking six attacks and digging out two others. Bernal has taken control of the duties of primary setter, tallying 37 assists and nine digs in the win. Finally, the rest of the production came from the returners.
Lucie Blažková, who proved to be the team’s MVP all weekend, added eight kills on .316% hitting Sunday with six blocks in the win.
Katy Ryan got her 1,000th career point in the win, navigating through some command struggles to post 11 kills and five blocks in the win.
Defensively, Emma Barbero had a dominant showing, posting a career-high 27 digs. After trailing behind Karly Basham on the depth chart in 2023, she appears to have leaped forward to a key role in the success of the 2024 team.
With the win, the Cougs get their first of the season out of the way. Doing so in a way as emphatic as a reverse sweep shows a level of maturity and camaraderie in a team that has spent just one month together.
Following the 1-2 weekend, WSU returns back to Pullman before taking on Eastern Washington at 7 p.m. Friday in Bohler Gym.
