#21 Utes Down #13 Cougars for Fourth Win Over Ranked Teams

Sunday, October 16

Pullman, Wash.

1:00 PM

University of Utah

14-5, 5-3

Washington State

15-4, 5-3

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
Utah	25	23	17	25	15	3
Washington State	22	25	25	23	9	2

#21 Utes Down #13 Cougars for Fourth Win Over Ranked Teams

10/16/2016 4:35 PM | Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Postgame Interview - Adora Anae

Utah moves to 7-1 overall on the road this season

PULLMAN, Wash. – The No. 21-ranked Utah Utes (15-5, 5-3) added to its school-best start in Pac-12 Conference play with a five-set win (25-22, 23-25, 17-25, 25-23, 15-9) over the No. 13-ranked Washington State Cougars (15-4, 5-3) Sunday afternoon at Bohler Gym.

The Utes wrapped up its four-match road swing winning three matches and registering two of those victories against ranked teams. Utah improved to 7-1 on the road this season, which ranks second-best in program history, behind only the 1997 team that went 8-0. The win also marks Utah's fourth win over an AVCA top-25 ranked squad. All four of those wins have come on the road this season.

Utah took the first set 25-22 behind the strength of sophomore Berkeley Oblad's seven kills and .667 hitting percentage in the frame. Oblad tallied three kills between another kill from sophomore Emma Kirst to put Utah up 17-12 and WSU was later forced to take a timeout trailing 19-13. The Cougars scored eight of the next four points to pull within two, down 23-21, but Oblad gave Utah the frame as her pair of kills closed out the set, 25-22.

The Utes and Cougars traded leads throughout the second set, but WSU came away with the frame, 25-23, to tie the match at 1-1. Utah took a 7-4 lead with back-to-back kills from junior Carly Trueman, but the Cougars went on a 4-1 run to tie the set at 8-all. Junior Adora Anae registered a kill to make it 11-9 and a block from Oblad and sophomore Emma Kirst later made it 15-12 in favor of the Utes. WSU went on a 5-1 run to take a 17-16 lead and after trading points back-and-forth they closed the set with kills from Claire Martin and Kyra Holt.

WSU led throughout the third set, opening the frame with an 8-3 run and later going up 19-11 following a 6-0 run. Utah scored three straight points late in the frame thanks to kills from Kirst, sophomore Jessie Openshaw and junior Tawnee Luafalemanna, but the Cougars scored the final point to take the set 25-17 and a 2-1 lead in the match.

Utah forced a decisive fifth set after taking the fourth frame 25-23. The Utes led by as many as five points, up 12-7, but the home squad came back and eventually tied the set 15-15 and later went up 17-15 forcing Utah to call a timeout. The Utes scored all three of its next points on WSU errors and Anae would later put down three kills in a four-point span to push Utah's lead to 22-20. WSU came back to tie it, but a block from Kirst and Oblad, followed by a kill from Trueman gave Utah the set.

.@UtahVolleyball takes us to the fifth set! ??

WATCH #Pac12VB: https://t.co/ZLABafSnBV https://t.co/6rdDv9aQDi
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) October 16, 2016

WSU opened the fifth set with three errors, in-between a kill from Anae, and the Cougars were forced to take an early timeout, down 4-0. Three service errors from the Utes would get the Cougars back into the set, but Utah managed to take an 8-4 lead as teams traded sides of the court. Utah pushed its lead to 10-4 before a WSU 3-0 run forced the Utes to call a timeout. Kills from Trueman and Anae out of the break, followed by a solo block from Kirst, gave Utah a six-point lead at 13-7. WSU ended the run, but Luafalemana registered a block and Anae put the match away with what was her 12th kill in the final two sets.

Anae went onto finish the match with a team-high 18 kills and Trueman followed with 12 kills. Oblad and junior Eliza Katoa finished with eight kills each, while Luafalemana and Kirst tallied seven kills each on the day.

She's back! Limited to just six kills in first three sets, Anae now has 10!
Watch live on https://t.co/I63owIGql3 https://t.co/nvNw97jQ9y
— Utah Volleyball (@UtahVolleyball) October 16, 2016

Openshaw led Utah with 32 assists and freshman Bailey Choy added 23 assists. Sophomore Megan Shughrou led the way with 13 digs, while Oblad added a team-high seven total blocks.

Utah snapped a four-match losing streak to the Cougars at Bohler Gym on Sunday. It was Utah's first victory in Pullman since earning a 3-1 win back on Oct. 7, 2011.

Utah returns home this week hosting both Oregon schools. The Utes will take on Oregon this coming Friday, Oct. 21 before closing the weekend against Oregon State on Saturday, Oct. 22.