WSU won both matches and got a total of 25 kills from freshman outside hitter Alexcis Lusby during Friday’s doubleheader in the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley tournament.

The Cougars (11-1) swept Houston Baptist University and beat UTRGV 3-1. WSU won its first match against HBU 25-18, 25-13, 25-22 and later beat UTRGV in four sets: 25-15, 25-16, 23-25, 25-21.

The Cougars took the first two sets against UTRGV comfortably but couldn’t close out the third for the match sweep. WSU led late 17-11 but UTRGV went on a 14-6 run to prolong the match. WSU had 4 attack errors and 2 service errors during the run. 

Just when it looked like the Vaqueros would pull off a similar comeback when they tied the fourth set at 19-19 after being down 17-11 for the second time, WSU went on a 6-2 run to secure the victory as Lusby hit the final two kills to seal the match, giving her 14 kills to lead the team. 

Freshman outside hitter Pia Timmer had three service aces in the match and had the third-most kills on the team with eight. 

The Cougars recorded a higher hitting percentage than the Vaqueros at .255 compared to .162. Jocelyn Urias, redshirt senior middle blocker, recorded ten kills and four blocks in the match. 

Lusby also recorded seven kills in the final set against HBU to close out the match. She led the team with 11 kills throughout the game. 

HBU kept the third set close being down one with the score at 23-22. A bad set and an attack error from the HBU junior setter Morgan Dewyer ensured the Cougar victory.

Lusby sent five blocks to the other side of the net in the match, second to freshman middle blocker Magda Jehlarova’s seven blocks.

The Cougars held HBU to a .035 hitting percentage and forced them to have nearly as many attack errors as kills with the Huskies hitting 29 kills and 25 attack errors.