University of Washington
California
History Made on Saturday
April 06, 2024 | Beach Volleyball
SEATTLE— The University of Washington Beach Volleyball team nabbed their highest ranked victory in program history with the take down of No. 7 California 3-2 on Saturday. That is the highest ranked opponent that the Beach Dawgs have ever beaten. Overall, the Huskies posted a 3-1 record this weekend in the Pac-12 North Tournament.
California Dual
That record-setting victory against the Bears was the first win of the day and was led by Zoey Henson and Lauren Wilcock (No. 2) who were undefeated this weekend as they jumped out to a lead in the first set and held on to it. At the 19-16 mark in the first set, Kendall Mather switched the music to "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC, and at that moment, Henson and Wilcock closed out the dual. At the same time, Scarlett Dahl and Natalie Martin mounted a comeback one court over. Wilcock and Henson closed the door on the first set, 21-18. The duo started hot in the secoond set, holding their three-point lead until 19-16, and then scored two consecutive points to close out the first match for the Dawgs 21-16.
Martin and Dahl (No. 4) played a tightly contested first set. They were tied 14-14 and then fell behind 17-18 before going on a 4-1 run right as the music switched to "Thunderstruck," setting the mood for the day. While that played in the background they went on to win 21-16. After posting a quick run to end the first set, the duo blitzed the Bears, jumping out to a 9-5 lead before beating them by seven to win 21-14.
With history on the brink of happening, a crowd started to build around Piper Monk-Heidrich and Magdalena Rabitsch (No. 1). The Huskies held a small lead early on, before widening it to take a 21-16 victory.
In the second set Monk-Heidrich and Rabitsch fell behind quickly, trailing by three 9-12, but bounced back, tying the second set 18-18. The Dawgs then fired a laser past the Golden Bears' defense, sending the dual into the match point. Rabitsch then set up Monk-Heidrich for a hammer spike that gave the Dawgs the highest-ranked victory in program history.
The previously highest-ranking dual victory for the Huskies came in 2022 against No. 8 Hawaii. The Huskies also beat No. 8 Pacific twice in 2015.
Oregon Dual
Later that afternoon, the Dawgs extended their winning streak against the Oregon Ducks to five with a 5-0 victory, while battling the elements. Rain had been pounding Alki Beach throughout the day, making conditions challenging for the athletes.
Even so, Brooke Balue and Sarah Wilcock (No. 5) quickly defeated the Ducks, 21-14. The duo followed up the seven-point victory in the first set with a double-digit victory in the second set.
Henson and Wilcock (No. 2) dispatched their Pacific Northwest rival to stay perfect for the weekend. After a 7-7 tie, the pair jumped ahead and won 21-12. In the second set, the Ducks kept the score close until the Huskies went on a 7-0 run, pushing the lead to eight and holding that margin till the end.
Dahl and Martin were tied at 7-7 during the first set, but they responded with a prolonged run, taking the Ducks down 21-15. The duo posted their second victory of the day, winning by double digits.
Kendall Mather and Kierstyn Barton played the final match of the Pac-12 North Tournament winning in three sets against the Ducks. The pair split the first two sets, but locked in their performance during the final set. "Thunderstruck" then blasted over the beach during the first serve, driving the Huskies on a 6-2 run to open the set. The Ducks fought back, but Barton made the statement of her freshman year as she sent Oregon's attack backward with a major rejection to set up a match point. The Dawgs then converted that to a win in front of a large crowd on the Beach.
Results
No. 13 Washington 3, No. 7 California 2
Order of finish:2, 4, 5, 1, 3,
Match Score: No. 13 Washington 5, Oregon 0
Order of finish:5, 2, 1, 4, 3,
Up Next: The Huskies will stay at home as they host their final home tournament on April 12th and 13th against Georgia State, Oregon and Boise State.
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