QU Volleyball Pushes Top 30 Foes Washington State and Baylor In 3-0 Losses

Friday, September 1

Pullman, WA

12:00 PM (Pacific)

Quinnipiac University

0-7

Washington State

4-1

Quinnipiac

Washington State

Natalie Alechko had eight of her 13 kills against Baylor in the third set (photo by Rod Commons)

QU Volleyball Pushes Top 30 Foes Washington State and Baylor In 3-0 Losses

9/1/2017 9:34:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: QU Athletic Communications

PULLMAN, Wash. – The Quinnipiac volleyball team dropped 3-0 matches to Washington State and Baylor on Friday on the second day of the Washington State Cougar Challenge, but pushed both of their top 30 opponents at times, ending the day with a narrow 26-24 defeat to Baylor in the third set. Sophomore outside hitter Nattalie Alechko (Old Tappan, N.J.) had eight of her match-high 13 kills against Baylor in the third set, when the Bobcats never trailed until Baylor's match point at 25-24.

SCORES
Washington State 3, Quinnipiac 0 (25-16, 25-20, 25-17)
Baylor 3, Quinnipiac 0 (25-11, 26-16, 26-24)

LOCATION
Bohler Gym / Pullman, Washington

RECORDS
Quinnipiac (0-8) / Washington State (4-1) / Baylor (5-1)

MATCH NOTES

Quinnipiac had its toughest challenge in its Division I history on Friday, playing two teams that came in ranked in the top 30 in the nation (Washington State 28, Baylor 29). Washington State and Baylor also both reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season.
Sophomore outside hitter Natalie Alechko (Old Tappan, N.J.) was named to the All-Tournament team. She had 13 kills and seven digs against Baylor, both team highs, after leading the Bobcats with nine kills and seven digs against Washington State
Alechko had eight kills in the third set against Baylor, helping the Bobcats out to an eight-point lead (14-6) before the Bears took their first lead of the set at 26-24. Quinnipiac hit .387 in the third set with 16 kills and four errors in 31 attempts, while Baylor hit .531 (20-3-32).
Sophomore Kaleigh Oates (Downington, Pa.) had back-to-back kills to start the third set and give Quinnipiac a 2-0 lead.
Alechko had three kills and an ace to put the Bobcats ahead 10-4 in the third. An ace from sophomore setter Maria Pansari (Whitehouse Station, N.J.) pushed the lead to 14-6, and a block from both seniors Elizabeth Kloos (Munster, Ind.) and Jamie Termotto (Smithton, N.Y.) had the Bobcats up 18-13, but Baylor overtook Quinnipiac late for the sweep, winning the final three points after the Bobcats went ahead 24-23.
Termotto had six kills against Baylor, matching her high from last year.
In addition to the dramatic third set against Baylor, the Bobcats played a strong second set against Washington State before falling 25-20. Quinnipiac jumped out to a 9-6 lead and held a 19-18 lead late in the set on a kill from sophomore Jen Coffey (Merrimack, N.Y.) before the Cougars closed out on a 7-1 run.
Washington State's big front line helped the Cougars to a 13-3 edge in blocks

QUINNIPIAC STAT LEADERS vs. BAYLOR
Kills: Natalie Alechko, 13
Assists: Maria Pansari, 14
Digs: Natalie Alechko, Lauren Miller, 7
Blocks: Kat Miller, Kaleigh Oates 2

QUINNIPIAC STAT LEADERS vs. WSU
Kills: Natalie Alechko, 9
Assists: Maria Pansari, 14
Digs: Natalie Alechko, 7
Blocks: Jen Coffey, Gabby Horman 2

UPCOMING MATCHES
Quinnipiac will be back in action on Wednesday when it travels to Fairleigh Dickinson for a 7 p.m. contest.