WSU Volleyball takes on No.
25 Utah (Friday), and No. 23 Colorado (Saturday) in Bohler Gym
NO. 22 WASHINGTON STATE
(9-3, 0-2 PAC-12)
vs. No. 25 Utah (8-5, 0-2
PAC-12) | Fri., Sept.
28 | 7:00 p.m. PT
vs. No. 23 Colorado (9-4,
1-1 PAC-12) | Sun., Sept.
30 | 12:00 p.m. PT
> Television (vs.
UU) | Pac-12 Networks
> Television (vs.
CU) | WSU Live Stream
> Live Statistics | WSUCougars.com
QUICK NOTES
>> The Cougs enter the
second week of Pac-12 play, after falling twice on the road to No. 13
Washington, and No. 12 Oregon. WSU nearly pulled off upsets of each program,
taking both squads to five set matches.
>> WSU remains the top
Pac-12 program in opponent hitting percentage at .158 overall, along with
ranking second in the conference in hitting percentage at .267 as well.
WSU Remains At No. 22 In
Latest AVCA Coaches Poll
WSU Volleyball checks in
once again at the number 22 spot in the week five AVCA Coaches Poll, earning
234 overall points. Fellow Pac-12 members that earned top 25 spots as well
include; Stanford (2), Oregon (12), Washington (13), USC (13), UCLA (18),
Colorado (23), Arizona (24), and Utah (25).
Brown Records Career-High In
Assists
Junior setter Ashley Brown
recorded yet another fantastic stat-line this season as she totaled 55 overall
assists during the five set match-up against the No. 12 ranked Oregon Ducks.
Brown, who tallied 47 assists in the previous week for a career-high, continued
her successful 2018 campaign last Sunday against Oregon. Ashley currently
stands at fifth overall in the Pac-12 with 480 assists this season.
Mims Posts Career-High In
Total Digs
Senior Taylor Mims flexed
her defensive muscles against the No. 12 ranked Oregon Ducks, totaling 21 digs
during the contest, which was a career-high for the outside hitter. Mims
recorded a double-double in the match-up after posting 17 kills as well, and
was her sixth double-double during the 2018 season.
Dirige Jumps To 4th Overall
In Career Digs
The junior libero continues
to rise in the all-time ranks of WSU Volleyball in total career digs as Dirige
is currently fourth overall entering this week. Alexis has totaled 1,251 digs,
which after posting a season-high of 27 against No. 12 ranked Oregon during the
five-set thriller, sees Dirige on pace to challenge all-time career leader Kate
Sommer (1,954).
PAC-12 Action Continues
Intensity
The Cougars continue the
grind of early Pac-12 competition in 2018 as WSU will host Utah, and Colorado
this weekend. Utah enters the week currently ranked No. 25 overall in the
nation, while Colorado improved their overall ranking to No. 23 in the latest
AVCA Coaches Poll. The Cougs currently hold a 13-9 advantage over the Utes in
the all-time series, but the Buffs of Colorado hold a 9-4 series record over
WSU entering the weekend.
FOLLOW THE COUGS ON SOCIAL
MEDIA ALL SEASON LONG
Get all the info, photos,
and videos a true Coug Fan could want by following the team on Facebook
(facebook.com/WSUVolleyball), Twitter (@WSUVolleyball) and Instagram
(washingtonstatevolleyball).
……………………..
2019 A NIGHT WITH WSU COUGAR
FOOTBALL
Save the Date! Mike Leach
and his staff will be touring the state to meet Cougar Athletic Fund members
and unveil the 2019 recruiting class.
These are can't miss events so mark your calendars! Registration begins
at the end of the year.
Spokane
National Letter of Intent
Signing Day Party
Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019 at 5
p.m.
Northern Quest Resort,
Spokane, Wash
Vancouver
Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019 at 5
p.m.
Hilton Vancouver, Vancouver,
Wash
Tri-Cities
Friday, Feb. 15, 2019 at
5:30 p.m.
Three Rivers Convention
Center, Kennewick, Wash
Seattle
Saturday, March 9, 2019 at 5
p.m.
Hyatt Regency Bellevue, Bellevue,
Wash
::::::::::::::::
Cougars Head to Wisconsin
for Nuttycombe Invitational
From WSU Sports Info
Women's and Men's
cross-country teams prepare to run Zimmer Championship Course
NUTTYCOMBE WISCONSIN
INVITATIONAL
Friday, Sept. 28 | Madison,
Wisconsin | Zimmer Championship Course
Race Times | Women's 6,000m Race - 11 a.m., Men's 8,000m
Race - 11:40 a.m.
Teams: Air Force, Alabama,
Arkansas (W), Boise State, Bradley, Butler, Charlotte, Colorado, Colorado
State, Columbia, Delaware (W), Eastern Kentucky (M), Georgetown, Illinois (M),
Indiana, Iona, Iowa State, Michigan (M), Michigan State, New Mexico, North
Carolina State, Northern Arizona, Oklahoma State, Oregon State (W), Penn, Penn
State, Portland, Princeton (M), Providence, Purdue, San Francisco, Southern
Illinois, Southern Utah, Tennessee, Texas, Texas Tech, Tulsa, TCU (W),
Vanderbilt (W), Villanova, Washington State, Wisconsin.
COUGARS SET TO RUN IN
NUTTYCOMBE WISCONSIN INVITATIONAL
>> The Washington
State men's cross country team, and the women's cross country team will compete
for the third time this season, on the road in Madison, Wisconsin at the
Nuttycombe Invitational, Friday, September 28.
>> The men's 8,000m
race will begin at 1 p.m., followed by the women's 6,000m race at 12:20 p.m.
The meet will start off with women's and men's "B" Races as well with
the women's race starting at 11 a.m., and the men's at 11:40 a.m.
>> The Thomas Zimmer
Championship Course is one of the premier courses within the NCAA, and is the
home of the NCAA Cross Country Championship this season.
COUGARS IN THE RANKINGS:
>> The Cougar men's
cross country program checks in at No. 15 overall in the U.S. Track & Field
and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) week one poll, while holding
down a number ive spot in the most recent west regional rankings. The Cougs are
looking to build off this early recognition and continue to find success
throughout the year.
>> The Cougar women's
cross country program remains ninth overall in the latest west region ranking
in the week three USTFCCCA polls, poised for a great start to the 2018 season,
and looking to continually climb the rankings throughout the year.
LAST TIME OUT
>> WSU hosted the
Cougar Classic, Friday, Sept. 14...for the women, freshman Emma Jenkins (20:53)
took home first place in the 6,000m race, her first 6k as a collegiate
runner...The Cougar women claimed second place overall in the race as
well...The top finisher on the men's side was Kennan Schrag (24:22) placed
fifth overall, and helped the men finish in a tie for second place with
Pepperdine.
COMPETING FOR WSU
>> Competing for the
Washington State men at the Nuttycombe Invitational are; Nathan Wadhwani,
Chandler Teigen, Amir Ado, Colton Johnsen, Justin Janke, Paul Ryan, and Kennan
Schrag...Along with Kyler Little, Matthew Watkins, and Andrew Cooper running in
the B Race.
>> Competing for the
WSU women are; Kaili Keefe, Emma
Jenkins, Marie Gaudin, Desi Stinger, Melissa Hruska, Samantha King-Shaw, and
Kelsey Takeuchi...Running in the Nuttycombe B Race will be Pia Richards, and
Zorana Grujic.
COUGARS TO HOST 2019 NCAA
WEST REGION XC CHAMPIONSHIPS:
>> Washington State
will host the 2019 NCAA Cross Country West Regional Friday, Nov. 15, at the
Colfax Golf Club at Colfax, Wash...this will mark the first time WSU will host
an NCAA Cross Country Regional Championship...Cougars hosted the 2015 Pac-12
Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships at the Colfax Golf Club and
practice on the course several times a week.
…………………
Washington State football
chat transcript - 9/26
Wed., Sept. 26, 2018, 9:25 a.m.
Sep 26, 10:03 AM by
Theo Lawson, Spokane S-R Sports
srchat (Admin): Hey
everyone, welcome to live chat No. 5. I’ll start taking questions now.
Sep 26, 10:03 AM
Uncle Larry (Guest):
Hello!
Sep 26, 10:03 AM
srchat (Admin):
Morning!
Sep 26, 10:04 AM
srchat (Admin):
Because I didn’t get to this question last week, we’ll start here…
Sep 26, 10:04 AM
srchat (Admin):
Guest9309 (guest): Hi Theo…Appreciate your reporting of Coug FB, a few questions
for you :How is Caleb Perry looking ?, does he have the ability to perform in
Leaches offense, Crowder appears to need some weight, do you think Moore will
see the field this year ?…top 3-5 fastest Cougs…?..I am thinking Harris,
Calvin, Max, Renard, Fisher ?
Sep 26, 10:09 AM
srchat (Admin): Hard
to make any kind of assessment about Perry. He’s the fourth running back and
therefore we don’t see much of him/haven’t seen much in camp either. Perhaps he
establishes a role in the rotation once Harrington graduates. I don’t think we
see Moore this year, but would be interesting with the new redshirt rule if he
came back for the final four games. He still has a redshirt available. And I’d
probably agree with you on the top-5 fastest players. Possibly Drue Jackson,
too.
Sep 26, 10:10 AM
Guest2602 (Guest):
What is going on with Nnamdi? Expected him to make a leap this year, but he’s
just been a rotation piece. Is the injury holding him back?
Sep 26, 10:11 AM
srchat (Admin): I’m a
little surprised he hasn’t cracked the starting rotation. I think Logan Tago’s
played well enough, but I would sort of expect Oguayo to reassume that spot
eventually. Then again, coaches aren’t always concerned with who’s “starting.”
With all the rotating they do, he’s guaranteed to get plenty of reps still.
Sep 26, 10:11 AM
GoCougs (Guest):
What’s the NCAA definition of targeting?
Sep 26, 10:15 AM
srchat (Admin):
Here’s a pretty comprehensive explanation of the rule:
https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2016/9/7/12829482/targeting-penalty-rulebook-ncaa-football
Sep 26, 10:15 AM
srchat (Admin): (Yes,
I think Porter Gustin should’ve been ejected for targeting.)
Sep 26, 10:15 AM
Guest6885 (Guest):
How has Thursday Night Football been? Cooper look good? Any others making a
name for themselves?
Sep 26, 10:18 AM
srchat (Admin):
Truthfully, I’ve been slipping on asking about TNF lately . Tracy Claeys is
generally the only assistant coach available after those practices, but I’ll
try to get a better sense of which defensive guys have performed well during
those scrimmaged.
Sep 26, 10:18 AM
srchat (Admin):
scrimmages*
Sep 26, 10:18 AM
Guest109 (Guest): Did
coach leach get the side snap by Kyle sweet in big gulp figured out? As long as
Kyle squares his shoulders to other goal one he then can turn his shoulders and
pitch/snap in play. In usc we were flagged for Kyle standing sideways
Sep 26, 10:19 AM
srchat (Admin): I’ll
get Leach’s thoughts on it today. Odd it was penalized Friday seeing as how
they’d gone to it in two other games — with two different officiating crews.
Sep 26, 10:19 AM
Uncle Larry (Guest):
Why don’t they use Borghi more? He looks explosive when he touches the ball.
Sep 26, 10:20 AM
srchat (Admin): He
has, but you can’t argue with James Williams’ seven touchdowns. It’s an ideal
situation regardless which one you go to.
Sep 26, 10:22 AM
Uncle Larry (Guest):
Minshew had more rushing attempts than Borghi.
Sep 26, 10:22 AM
srchat (Admin): Fair.
I certainly wouldn’t mind seeing the ball in his hands more and think most fans
would agree with that sentiment.
Sep 26, 10:25 AM
Uncle Larry (Guest):
Utah biggest strength (other than defense as a whole)?
Sep 26, 10:27 AM
srchat (Admin): The
specialists. Senior punter Mitch Wishnowsky is a former Ray Guy winner and the
kicker, Matt Gay, won the Lou Groza last year. Utah always seems to be superb
at those two spots.
Sep 26, 10:27 AM
Jon Yerkes: Thinking
about changing from my real name to a new
handle..Disconcerting_Signals…thoughts?
Sep 26, 10:29 AM
srchat (Admin): If
you’re willing to risk a 5-yard penalty!
Sep 26, 10:29 AM
Ray Lancaster: Hi
Theo…thanks for you hard work. Is there one reporter Leach won’t respond to?
what did he do?
Sep 26, 10:30 AM
srchat (Admin): Yeah,
I’ve been asked this numerous times now. Reason I’ve avoided it is because it isn’t
really my place to comment. But I do understand the question…
Sep 26, 10:30 AM
Guest109 (Guest):
Okay thanks Theo! Would have for them to think they can do big gulp formation
because of that. It is legal to side snap it just like they have been doing as
long as before Kyle snaps it he squares his shoulders up. Do you see Tay Martin
being ina normal rotation Saturday in terms of coming out every 2 plays for a
new we. Right now he is playing every down. I noticed in Utah depth chart they
put Calvin Jackson jr in the X.
Sep 26, 10:34 AM
srchat (Admin): I
think it’ll still be 80 percent Tay, 20 percent Calvin Jackson/Rodrick Fisher,
or something close to that. I’d like to see more of Jackson. He can be a really
explosive player at times.
Sep 26, 10:34 AM
Uncle Larry (Guest):
Haven’t seen anything…..prediction for uni combo for homecoming?
Sep 26, 10:35 AM
srchat (Admin): I
wonder if they’ll finally break out the anthracite tops. Crimson helmets,
anthracite jerseys, crimson pants is my pick. Anyone else want to take a stab?
Sep 26, 10:38 AM
Uncle Larry (Guest):
Utah all white. WSU all crimson.
Sep 26, 10:39 AM
Jon Yerkes: All
antracite
Sep 26, 10:40 AM
wsuWR: It sucks we
have a terrible Nike Deal. Like 3.1 million or something while UCLA and Cal and
everyone making 13 mil
Sep 26, 10:40 AM
srchat (Admin): Not
to mention UW’s $120 mil deal with Adidas…
Sep 26, 10:40 AM
Jon Yerkes: Cougs
opened as a slight favorite at home and quickly moved to an underdog…surpised?
Sep 26, 10:41 AM
srchat (Admin):
Wouldn’t have been shocked to see them open as an underdog, but am curious to
know why the line moved. Either way, I’m expecting a pretty tight game.
Sep 26, 10:42 AM
Ray Lancaster:
Anthracite tops and crimson helmets and pants worked great v. Stanford. Seemed
like secondary got exposed. Any changes in store?
Sep 26, 10:44 AM
srchat (Admin): I
wouldn’t think so. Tyler Huntley isn’t the passer JT Daniels is and Utah
doesn’t have the receivers USC has. The secondary was strong up until Friday’s
game and the Utes just don’t pose the same threat.
Sep 26, 10:44 AM
wsuWR: Oh don’t
remind me Theo! I forgot UW just got a great deal. I like out Nike stuff but we
are signed through like 2022 on a horrible deal. Is there anyway those things
can change? Or are we locked in through 2022/2023 no matter what? Would be
great to renegotiate a deal.
Sep 26, 10:45 AM
srchat (Admin): I’m
not 100 percent sure how these things work, but I wonder if it’s something Pat
Chun has examined as, like you mention, other schools continue to strike
massive deals.
Sep 26, 10:49 AM
Uncle Larry (Guest):
What was up with all the slipping by the Cougs in the USC game? Did they change
out cleats or anything?
Sep 26, 10:52 AM
srchat (Admin): No,
nothing like that. Leach suggested they just had trouble adjusting to that type
of grass. I took a stroll on it pregame. Felt like walking on a golf course.
Sep 26, 10:57 AM
wsuWR: seems like a
lot of the guys on the team are high character people. Do you get that sense or
feel when interviewing them?
Sep 26, 10:58 AM
srchat (Admin): Would
agree there. Haven’t had a bad interview yet and came away especially impressed
with Easop Winston after chatting with him post practice yesterday.
Sep 26, 10:59 AM
Uncle Larry (Guest):
Who has surprised you in the Pac 12 and why?
Sep 26, 11:02 AM
srchat (Admin): I’m
surprised UCLA is 0-3 and scoring less than 20 ppg. Chip Kelly has been able to
manufacture offense wherever he’s been. I wonder when the Bruins will turn the
corner.
Sep 26, 11:03 AM
Guest1754 (Guest):
This week when Leach was asked about what makes Martin Stadium so tough to play
in, why did he go to great lengths about the Students, and say nothing about
the “fans”?
Sep 26, 11:04 AM
srchat (Admin):
That’s his typical line. I don’t think he’s necessarily unimpressed with the rest
of the fans, but you definitely want the student body on your side.
Sep 26, 11:04 AM
srchat (Admin):
That’ll do it for this week. Thanks for joining. Let’s do it again in seven
days.
……………..
Larry Scott said this
dangerous hit on Gardner Minshew was legal
The hit may have been looked at
in the moment, but either way commissioner Larry Scott said it was fine in
hindsight.
- By Brian Floyd, Coug Center
- Septr 26, 2018 3:09 pm
I
feel confident calling the below play, a dangerous hit on Washington State quarterback Gardner
Minshew near the end of Friday night’s game, a grab bag of potential
penalties and injuries. But to refresh everyone, see for yourself:
That
sure looks like targeting, and one could make the argument it’s roughing the
passer and a hit on a defenseless player. At the very least, it was an
incredibly dangerous hit that served absolutely no purpose — the ball was out,
Minshew was wrapped up and going to the ground, and ... blammo, headshot. it
didn’t even get a second look, and play continued without a stoppage to check
on the penalty or player.
Here’s
what Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said about the play on
Saturday night in his weekly scrum.
Scott said he had consulted the
officiating team about that call. He said every play is reviewed.
“So you can certainly assume that
play got a lot of looks, not just from the replay booth at the stadium, but
we’ve got our command center back in San Francisco with our head of officiating
and a bunch of experienced replay guys, who absolutely would have looked at
that play,” he said.
This
doesn’t actually say a whole lot, and is a careful statement that speaks in
hypotheticals — “you can certainly assume” and “absolutely would have.” It
doesn’t actually concretely say what actually unfolded. One could actually
argue the wording is a signal the crew missed what happened in the moment.
The
worst part is this:
He said it also was looked at
afterward and it was not determined to be targeting.
“As you know, in any given game
there are a lot of close calls, and this was a very, very close one. No doubt
about it,” Scott said.
In
determining the hit wasn’t targeting but calling it very, very close, the
Pac-12 is setting a threshold and precedent. If this is borderline, what
actually steps over the line? And what goes into the decision to retroactively
admit a mistake or punish a player? If it was very, very close, why not even
stop the play to take a closer look at it and the player that took a helmet to
the face? All of that is even less clear after Saturday’s scrum.
What
Scott does in the above quotes is absolve his officiating crew and conference
while creating cover for them. He avoids having to deal with a mistake that may
have influenced the outcome of a game while saying the crew has a procedure and
would have followed it. He satisfies the short term and leaves the long-term
questions and consequences alone.
Bad
hits won’t go away overnight. Headshots and concussions won’t go away quickly,
either, and likely never will completely. To actually change behavior, increase
safety, and limit the number of catastrophic hits, everyone has to do their
part, both now and in the long run.
That
includes making it clear that these types of hits will be flagged, reviewed, or
retroactively called out. It includes being consistent in that review and
punishing hits that have no business in the game. Punishment acts as a
deterrent for players and coaches alike, whether it’s in the form of yards
during a game or a suspension. If a type of hit or penalty has an effect on
games, that’s exactly the way to make a coach pay attention and make
corrections in any way they can.
Whether
you believe the hit on Minshew was a penalty or not — and I’m still seeing very
few that can argue the latter, outside of the conference itself — the question
everyone needs to ask themselves is whether hits like it belong in football. If
the answer is no, and they’re needlessly reckless or dangerous, then everyone
needs to do their part to call them out, to create real deterrents for them,
and to teach better tackling.
Scott
chose to protect his conference and officiating crew over the players, and
that’s the rub in this and all things NCAA. The reflex is to protect the
institution, and that comes at the expense of the player whose brain got
rattled around in his skull. In this case, the alternative to going the defense
is as simple as admitting a mistake, vowing to do better, and actually
following through — really committing to processes and an emphasis with
officiating crews on player safety.
If
conferences, officials and coaches don’t do a better job protecting players,
we’ll continue to see headshots that everyone will have to reckon with in the
coming years and decades as we better understand the effects of violent blows
to the head and see those effects continue to play out in players’ lives.
:::::::::::
The
Monday After: Even in a loss to USC, WSU passes the test
The Cougs proved that the first
three games of the season were no fluke in a narrow loss to the desperate,
talented Trojans.
By Jeff
Nusser Coug Center Sept 24, 2018
As I
woke up Saturday morning, resolving to enjoy my day, I found that I was having
a really difficult time moving past my frustration and annoyance.
I was
frustrated that the Washington State Cougars didn’t
bring a win back from Los Angeles. I was annoyed that poor officiating played
such a role in the outcome.* I was annoyed that Mike Leach predictably burned
his timeouts in unnecessary situations, preventing any safety net after the
final drive. I was super annoyed that Blake Mazza’s final
kick never got a chance because of a blown blocking assignment that USC had
scouted. I was super, duper annoyed
that the Cougs botched the most routine play in football — in this particular
game, of all games — which ultimately led to their demise against what I’m
fairly certain will turn out to be the best team in the Pac-12 South.
What
a missed opportunity.
*No,
I’m not blaming the refs. Yes, I’m pissed that Clay Helton was clearly in the
ears of the referees at some point before kickoff, given the multiple penalties
on the defensive line shifts and the illegal formation penalty on Kyle Sweet’s
snap. Yes, I’m pissed that the dirtiest player in the Pac-12 got away scot-free
with as blatant a targeting hit as you’ll ever see. Yes, I’m pissed that USC
got away with a defensive hold that clearly aided the blocked kick. Being super
pissed about how the game was officiated while also saying WSU didn’t lose
because of the officiating is a thing that is possible. As one commenter said postgame:
“Look, they could’ve won that game in spite of the officiating. But the point
remains that they shouldn’t have to. And yet here we are.”
But
I’ve always tried to keep this column forward looking. And while I hate the “if
you’d told me” game that we often try to play after a disappointing result by a
team that’s still in pretty good shape overall, we can go ahead and do that
here: the reality is that WSU still is 3-1, which was the best case
scenario predicted by
any of our authors heading into the season. That doesn’t make it any less
frustrating and annoying that they missed a spectacular chance to move to 4-0,
but it’s also true they’re still halfway to a fourth consecutive bowl game and
still look every bit the part of a team that will win at least six games.
That
last part wasn’t a foregone conclusion going into Friday. Convincing wins over
the Wyoming Cowboys, San Jose State Spartans and
Eastern Washington Eagles don’t hold as much weight as going toe-to-toe with
the USC Trojans in
the famed Coliseum. And while the Trojans certainly had not looked great in the
preceding two weeks, this was a team predicted to win the South division that
is starting a true freshman quarterback. The Trojans won 21 games the last two
seasons, and they began the year ranked 15th.
That
they put up a fight at home with their season sort of in the balance was not
surprising. That WSU nearly walked away with a victory against all that talent
and motivation tells us a lot about the Cougars.
I
really didn’t think they were going to go to Los Angeles and lay an egg, but
that was always a possibility. Instead, they scrapped with USC until the very
end, only truly undone by special teams mistakes. One could make a rather
convincing argument that WSU, on balance, was the better team. And that means
that with a third of the season now gone, I think we can safely say that the
doom and gloom scenarios that were predicted by some (such as your truly)
before the season are simply off the table now.
Obviously
it’s a team effort to get this point, but I think three guys deserve some extra
recognition for that.
First,
and foremost, Mike Leach. Whatever you think of his political leanings, or the
way he treats reporters, or the way he tried very hard to leave for the Tennessee Volunteers last
offseason, the fact remains that he is one hell of a college football coach. He
gets painted by the public at large as a quirky offensive mastermind, but those
of us who have watched the transformation of the program the last seven years
know that he’s so much more than that. The mental toughness, the expectation of
greatness ... these are all things that are established by the head coach.
I don’t think I’d ever want
to be friends with Mike Leach, but I’m very, very glad he coaches my favorite
football team.
As my
friend Jesse Cassino was fond of saying in the offseason: If WSU can get to a
bowl game in a “rebuilding” year — if that’s now the floor —
that’s a pretty incredible accomplishment that maybe says more about the
overall health of the program than the 26 wins piled up the last three seasons.
So while I don’t think I’d ever want to be friends with Mike Leach, I’m very,
very glad he coaches my favorite football team.
Second,
Tracy Claeys deserves a ton of credit for his work with the defense. After the
improvements under Alex Grinch, it was natural to wonder what would happen when
he left, and while we all hoped that Claeys would be able to replicate his past
successes, he faced a lot of personnel challenges in his first year. He’s
impressed me a ton with his ability to adapt to the talent on hand, keeping the
unit afloat by refusing to try and shove a square peg into a round hole. The
look and style of the defense will evolve over the next couple of years into something
more closely resembling what he prefers, but for now, that unit looks an awful
lot like it did the last couple of years. And that’s probably not as easy for a
coach to do when he’s new to the program as it seems it could be.
And
then ... there’s the Mississippi Mustache. We’ll get into him more in the next
section, but I feel confident saying that his play is the primary reason the
trajectory of the season is what it is.
As I
sit here on Monday, I’m a lot less irritated than I was on Saturday. I fact,
I’m excited. Yes, Friday was an opportunity lost. But there are eight more
opportunities in front of the Cougs to continue to exceed most everyone’s
expectations.
::::::::::::::::::::::
This Week in Cougar Soccer: 'we finally get credit we
deserve'
By BRADEN JOHNSON/Cougfan.com
PULLMAN — Sophomore defender Aaqila McLyn cuts straight to
the chase when asked to reflect on the Cougars’ defeat of UCLA that propelled
them into the national top 10 for the first time in school history. “I think
we’re all going to remember this for the rest of our lives,” the Long Beach
Poly product tells Cougfan.com. “We talk about it every day. We can’t believe
it, but it makes us even more hungry to keep making history for our school.”
Following Friday’s 1-0 triumph over the No. 8 Bruins in
Pasadena, the accolades rolled in for the Cougs, who are now 8-0. They jumped
up to No. 9 from No. 14 in the United Soccer Coaches poll and also swept this
week’s Pac-12 Player of the Week Awards.
Junior forward Morgan Weaver nabbed Offensive Player of the
Week honors after scoring the game-winning goal against the Bruins in the 61st
minute. McLyn, who made a number of crucial stops in front of the net and
assisted on Weaver’s score, was named Defensive Player of the Week. And
third-year junior goalkeeper Rachel Thompson took Goalkeeper of the Week honors
for her nine-save performance.
“I think it’s just really humbling that we finally get the
credit that we deserve,” says defender Mikyaa Minniss. “But I think that we
just need to tuck it our back pocket and keep moving on, because we’re not
done.”
The Cougars will be gunning for their ninth straight
tomorrow (Thursday) at home against Oregon at 7 p.m.
The conference-opening win over the Bruins reflected a
change in mentality the program has adopted under fourth-year head coach Todd
Shulenberger. McLyn says the energy the Cougars played with on Friday began in
practice days before the match.
WSU was buoyed by last year’s upset of the Bruins, ranked
No. 2 at the time, as well. A fourth-minute goal by senior Maegan O’Neill and
shutout performance by the defense was the difference.
A FAMILIAR SCRIPT PLAYED OUT in this year’s edition of the
annual match. WSU fended off eight first-half shots from UCLA to preserve a tie
heading into halftime. Fifteen minutes into the second period, McLyn made a
long run down the field on a counterattack, then crossed the ball to a cutting
Weaver, who tucked the ball into the lower corner of the goal.
“At first, I was actually looking at Elyse (Bennett),” McLyn
says of the play. “She was making a run down the line, but then out of the
corner of my eye, I saw Morgan flashing by. So I knew she had the speed and the
skill to get the ball and take it downfield, so I made that cross.”
WSU’s defensive back-four then held serve for the final 30
minutes to finish off the win. It was a standout performance for McLyn. “Aaqila
is a fantastic player on the ball, and she has a little more bite to her
defensively that we were looking for,” Shulenberger says. “Her will to win is
pretty exceptional.”
THIS YEAR’S VICTORY OVER THE BRUINS also came with a new
face in the goal. Thompson, who transferred to WSU last year after two seasons
at Highline Community College in Des Moines made her first-ever Pac-12 start
and just the third of her career.
From Nikiski, Alaska, Thompson has been the Cougars’
starting goalkeeper since fifth-year senior Ella Dederick suffered a knee
injury against Idaho on Sept. 6. Dederick is being evaluated week-to-week and
there is no timetable for her return.
Thompson is expected to start against the Ducks. After
backing up Dederick, a four-year starter, Thompson says she focused on keeping
her mentality and preparation strong in games and practice for when the
opportunity arose.
“I knew I had big
shoes to fill,” she says. “Ella had such a huge, crucial role on this team, and
I needed to keep my level as high as hers, if not higher.”
Thompson attributes her success, and that of the offense, to
the strong play of WSU’s defensive back-four.
“They’re
game-changers a lot of the time,” she says. “I mean, Morgan scores, but without
Aaqila’s ball, we don’t score. The back line is, I’d really say, the backbone
of this team.”
UP NEXT: The Ducks are no slouch, entering this week’s the
contest with a 7-1-1 overall record and is fresh off a 1-0 win over Utah on
Friday in Eugene.
“Oregon has always
been a great team,” Shulenberger says. “They’re starting to get over that edge
and they’re winning now. They’ve played some great opponents and they have some
great wins.”
The Cougars and Ducks share one mutual opponent so far. Both
played Nebraska in Lincoln in August. WSU scored two second-half goals to
defeat the Cornhuskers, 2-1, on Aug. 31 while the Ducks fell, 2-0, a week
prior.
After Thursday’s match, the Cougars face Oregon State in a
noon kickoff on Sunday. The Beavers (1-8) have hit a rough patch since
graduating their top-four goal-scorers and starting goalkeeper from 2017. Most
recently, OSU suffered a 6-0 home loss to No. 18 Colorado. The Beavers have yet
to score more than one goal in a match and have netted just four overall.
WSU has something to prove against OSU, however. Despite
out-shooting the Beavers, 14-7, in last season’s match in Corvallis, the
Cougars could not find the back of the net and surrendered a goal in double
overtime to seal the loss.
“I remember
afterward, we had to bus all the way home, and that was probably one of my
worst experiences,” McLyn says. “It was really bad for our team chemistry as
well, but I think this year, we’re definitely not letting that happen again.”
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING: WSU was out-shot by the Bruins,
19-6, and only had three shots on goal to the Bruins’ nine. “Our backline did
an awesome job. We had a game plan on how that was going to roll out, just like
it did last year, and fortunately, it did again,” said Shulenberger.
QUOTABLE: “We got to the Sweet 16 last year – great,”
Shulenberger says of the team’s ranking. “This program … finished tied for
third in the Pac-12 my first year (in 2015), which is the highest-ever (finish in
program history). But when push comes to shove, that’s not good enough. It’s
good where we’re going, but I have high expectations of this team. So until we
win something, we’re not there yet.”
NOTABLE NOTES:
The Cougars’ last loss to Oregon came in 2011 – a 1-0 defeat
in Eugene.
Weaver is tied for third in goals scored in the Pac-12 with
six.
Thompson’s nine saves on Friday were the most by a WSU
goalkeeper since Dederick recorded 11 against Colorado in October 2015.
The Cougars have committed the third-most fouls (110) out of
333 NCAA Division I soccer teams. WSU is averaging 13.75 fouls per game.
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