Oct. 13, 2001
TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Washington State University Cougar volleyball team jumped out to an early 2-0 lead and held off a late surge by Arizona State to pick up a 3-1 win in Pac-10 volleyball action Saturday night at Wells Fargo Arena.
The victory improved Washington State to 9-7 on the year and 4-5 in Pac-10 play. It was the first win for the Cougar over the Sun Devils in Tempe since 1993. ASU still leads the all-time series 18-14.
The Sun Devils lost their sixth straight match to fall to 5-9 on the year and 1-6 in Pac-10 play. The six-match losing steak is the longest since a six-game skid in 1997. ASU's longest losing streaks in recent program history include a seven-match streak in 1996 and a nine-match stretch in 1989.
The Cougars jumped out to the early lead winning games one and two, 30-27 and 30-26 respectively. Solid serving and all-around play by junior outside hitter LaToya Harris helped the Cougs to the early lead. After ASU prevailed with a 30-27 win in game three to continue the match, WSU brought the victory home with a 30-22 win in game four. Harris finished the match with 15 kills, 16 digs and four service aces. Adrian Hankoff led all players with a match-best 20 kills. Senior setter Kali Surplus paced the Cougar offense with 58 assists and added 17 digs.
The Sun Devils were led by outside hitter Kim Mehlhorn, who set her career high in kills for the fifth time this season with 19. Mehlhorn, a sophomore from Chandler's Valley Christian High School, also added 17 digs. Senior outside hitter (Glendale) Jami Coughlin set a season high with 21 digs and brought home her ninth double-double of the year with 15 kills. Junior middle blocker Julia Leddy (Mesa) capped a solid weekend with 11 more kills to add to her 23 from Friday's match vs. Washington. Sophomore setter Cheryl Anglin (Queen Creek) had 52 assists to log her sixth match this year with over 50 assists.
The Sun Devils will return to action next weekend with a road series at Oregon (Oct. 18, 7 p.m.) and Oregon State (Oct. 19, 7 p.m.). Thursday's match vs. Oregon will run on a tape-delayed basis and can be viewed in the Phoenix area on Fox Sports Arizona on Friday. ASU next returns home with a mid-week match vs. Northern Arizona on Oct. 23.
Washington State def. Arizona State 30-27,30-26,27-30,30-22
Washington State (9-7, 4-5 Pac-10) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Hankoff, Adrian 20-0-3, Harris, LaToya 15-4-1, Boyle, Melissa 13-0-3, Bautre, Zanda 11-1-2, Harris, Holly 7-0-2, Surplus, Kali 4-1-1, Prince, Victoria 4-0-1, Jamtaas, Kortney 3-1-0, Lewis, Kerry 1-1-0, Totals 78-8-8.0. (Assists) - Surplus, Kali 58. (Dig leaders) - Bautre, Zanda 19, Hankoff, Adrian 17, Surplus, Kali 17, Harris, LaToya 16
Arizona State (5-9, 1-6 Pac-10) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Mehlhorn, Kim 19-1-3, Coughlin, Jami 15-2-0, Leddy, Julia 11-0-5, Stephens, Mandy 7-0-2, Blocher, Courtney 5-0-1, Smith, Jodi 4-0-1, Arnett, Brittany 2-3-0, Anglin, Cheryl 1-0-1, Akporiaye, Alicia 1-0-2, Totals 65-6-11.0. (Assists) - Anglin, Cheryl 52. (Dig leaders) - Coughlin, Jami 21, Blocher, Courtney 20, Mehlhorn, Kim 17, Arnett, Brittany 11, Anglin, Cheryl 9