“I think for us, it’s an opportunity to respond,” WSU volleyball head coach Korey Schroeder said after losing to Pepperdine 3-0 on Saturday. “We had talked the past couple of weeks that things are going to get tough… and for us, it’s our ability to respond and be mentally tough through [the tough moments].”
The Cougs (11-5, 5-1) have two opportunities to respond this week. They are looking to bounce back after their first conference loss against Pepperdine on Saturday, Oct. 11. It was also their first 3-0 loss since Aug. 31 against Utah.
In the match, the Cougs recorded their lowest hitting percentage of the season, .020. They also allowed a .375 hitting percentage, the highest they have given up all season.
Their first opportunity to respond is tomorrow night against the University of San Diego (13-4, 6-0). Currently, the Toreros sit atop the West Coast Conference (WCC) with a 6-0 record.
In their most recent match, the Toreros defeated the, at the time, undefeated Oregon State University Beavers 3-1. That win, coupled with Wazzu’s loss on Saturday, isolated them as the only undefeated team in the WCC.
But looking at Wazzu against San Diego, last season, when they met, they split matches. They both won the matches they played at home.
This week’s match is in Bohler and the Cougs are looking to take advantage of that.
“We were able to use the crowd here last year to beat them,” Schroeder said. “And so I think that’s a huge thing for us this week as well.”
The last time the Cougs lost at home was Sept. 17 in the Apple Cup. However, the Toreros have not lost a road regular-season match since November 2024. They have gotten off to a hot start this season, both offensively and defensively as well.
On the outside, they have two hitters, Nemo Beach and Isabel Clark, who both currently have over 240 kills each – ranked first and second, respectively, in kills in the WCC. They also have Kali Engeman, a middle blocker, who has 142 kills.
Defensively, they are leading the conference in blocks and digs, at 172 and 962, respectively.
To counteract their dynamic offensive and defensive system, the Cougs are looking to apply service pressure.
“[Applying service pressure] will hopefully help our block out a little bit, and be able to take them out of system,” Schroeder said.
WSU currently ranks third in the conference in service aces, with 110. San Diego ranks third in the conference in reception errors. On top of getting the Toreros out of system, applying service pressure could help them gain momentum and win extra points.
Schroeder also said the team is looking to focus on passing well offensively.
Last game, the Cougs only had 28 kills, their fewest in a game this season. To bounce back, Wazzu’s passing will be key. It would help the team set up its offense and help Camyrn Lingenbrink and Lucie Blažková, middle blockers, make a bigger impact offensively.
The match starts at 7 p.m. tomorrow. If the Cougs win, they would replace San Diego for first place in the WCC.
