ISU captured the first two sets to take a 2-0 lead in the match. WSU came out of the break and won the third set. ISU held the lead the entire fourth match, never once letting WSU retaliate.
Head coach Tom Peterson said ISU is a good team and that part of the reason it was so difficult for WSU to play against it was that the team is still trying to figure out a solid starting lineup.
“We had a different lineup going,” Peterson said. “At some time, we need to settle into a specific lineup and get working on little things that we need to improve on.”
Bethany Wray, WSU’s current leader in kills and digs, missed the match against ISU because of a mild concussion. Dama Cox stepped up her game for the Wildcats and led the team with eight kills. Freshman Mackenzie Clark added six. WSU had 31 overall kills.
With a main outside hitter like Wray missing, it was a good opportunity for the team to step up together, said Shanae Langston, team captain.
“It was neat to come together as a team and play different spots and work our hardest without her and for her,” Langston said.
ISU’s Alydia Fields had 18 kills, and Breanne Van Every added 16. ISU’s total kills were 54 for the four-game match. ISU had more errors than WSU, with 29 to WSU’s 26.
BSU won in a quick three sets on Monday night. The first set had four lead changes and eight ties before the Broncos held the lead to win the set. The second set had six ties.
Wray returned from her injury and led WSU with nine kills. Cox put up a pair of serving aces. Caitlin Penrod and Shelby Earl put up five digs each. WSU’s total kills were 29 for the entire set, and it came out with 20 errors. Penrod put up 23 assists.
BSU’s Elizabeth Griffin and Breann Nesselhuf put up 10 kills each. The Broncos’ total kills were 45, and the team only made 13 errors. Kersti Whtiney put up nine digs for BSU. Nesselhuf also added 23 assists.
Against BSU, WSU’s serving game was off in the third set. Langston said that was why WSU could not stick with the Broncos.
“We played really well,” she said. “We had some good hustle plays. In the last game, our serving game broke down. If we could keep that going, we are going to fly.”
WSU will now compete in three home conference matches starting Saturday, Oct. 1 against California State University, Sacramento.
“This next weekend will be a good test for us,” Peterson said. “We need to win these matches. It would be great to have a big crowd and get the emotion. We are getting better and better. We are going to start winning these matches.”
