Washington State seeks their first round-one playoff win in years against the Trojans on Friday at 4 p.m.

WSU is coming off a weekend of rest that followed a split series against the University of California-San Diego. The Cougars have yet to make it past the first round in several years, usually drawing a tough opponent based on seeding.

The Cougars finished the regular season with a 6-8 record in conference play, earning them the fifth seed. With the Trojans edging them out with a 7-6-1 conference record, they will be the home team for the battle in Cheney, Washington at the No. 4 spot in the Pac.

The Cougs have struggled offensively in recent games, but still have the firepower and depth to get it done going into the Pac-8 tournament. Trouble with goal production has been an inconsistent trend for WSU this season, but with only six goals in two contests against UCSD, it is a worrisome end to the season offensively.

Washington State split with the Trojans this season in November 2025 against a much different USC team with  a short bench for those games. USC will be hauling their full roster up to Washington this time around for the high-stakes tournament. Both teams traded off with blowouts in that series.

Akili Tulloch was a defensive pest for the Cougars in their last matchup and will be a nice compliment to the six players they have averaging over a point per game.

WSU head coach John Lupinacci showed no fear heading into the playoffs despite a struggling offensive showing to end the season.

“We just want who’s next,” Lupinacci said.

The Cougars have their eyes set on getting by the Trojans, attempting to punch their ticket further into the weekend. Pushing for a chance at Pac-8 glory, for what would be the first time in school history. The matchup will be at 4 p.m on Feb. 6 at the Eastern Washington University Recreation Center in Cheney.