NCAA: Washington does it again; Stanford, Texas, Baylor, Kentucky, BYU, San Diego, Milwaukee, all win

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The Pac-12 has been and evidently will continue to be like this, a top-heavy, unpredictable conference where the term “reverse sweep” has become part of the vernacular. 

To wit: No. 10 Washington, a team that has played six, five-set matches this season, five in the Pac-12, did again, this time at No. 13 Oregon on Thursday night. 

Also in the Pac-12, No. 18 Stanford beat visiting No. 17 Utah in four.

Top-ranked Texas swept TCU in the Big 12, No. 5 Kentucky battled to a four-set SEC win at LSU, No. 11 Baylor had to go four to beat Kansas in the Big 12, and in the West Coast Conference, No. 8 BYU won in four at Loyola Marymount and No. 22 San Diego won in five at No. 24 Pepperdine.

Milwaukee won again to improve to 8-0 in the Horizon League and South Dakota beat Omaha in five to break the tie at the top of the Summit League.

PAC-12 — Idle UCLA (12-2, 5-1) leads while Oregon (14-3, 5-2), Washington (12-3, 5-2), and Stanford (10-5, 5-2) are tied for second. Washington State (10-9, 4-2) is tied with them in the loss column.

Washington won at Oregon 17-25, 23-25, 25-18, 25-21, 15-8.

“Every match has a different theme to it,” Washington coach Keegan Cook said. “The fact that so many are going five is a testament to the level of play in the conference. We’re going to hang in there no matter what happens early in a match. 

“I just challenged them to fight more, I thought the tactics were starting to come into play and we made a few good changes. Just needed some intangibles after set two and they came, and it was a steady climb from then on out. A bunch of good serves and good swings, just felt like Washington volleyball from then on out.”

Claire Hoffman led the Huskies with 20 kills, an ace, three blocks, and 13 digs. Marin Grote had 13 kills with one error in 21 attacks and four blocks, and Samantha Drechsel had 11 kills, an ace, three blocks, and 15 digs. 

Washington, which went five all three times in the NCAA Tournament last spring when it beat Dayton, Louisville, and Pittsburgh before losing to eventual-champion Kentucky in four in the national semifinals, also played five five-set regular-season matches last spring. In total that’s 14 times the Huskies have gone five in their last 37 matches.

Oregon’s Brooke Nuneviller had 15 kills, two assists, a block, and 17 digs. Taylor Borup had 14 kills, two assists, three blocks and 10 digs … 

Stanford beat visiting Utah (11-5, 4-3) 26-24, 17-25, 25-22, 25-15 as the Cardinal hit .307. Caitie Baird led with 17 kills as she hit .406 and had an assist, four blocks, and four digs. Kendall Kipp had 14 kills, hit .407, and had eight blocks and six digs. Sami Francis had 12 kills.  Kami Miner had four kills in five errorless tries, 43 assists, an ace, two blocks, and six digs.

Dani Drews led Utah with 20 kills, an assist, five digs, and two blocks, one solo. Ameli Van Der Werff had 11 kills with one error in 15 swings and five blocks.

BIG 12 — Texas (14-0, 5-0) swept visiting TCU (7-8,1-4) as Logan Eggleston had 15 kills and hit .324 with three blocks and eight digs in the 25-21, 25-20, 25-19 victory. Texas hit .333 … Baylor (10-4, 4-1) hit .354 and beat visiting Kansas (11-7, 3-4) 25-19, 28-26, 23-25, 25-15 as Yossiana Pressley led with 21 kills. She hit .375 and had an assist, two blocks, and six digs. Avery Skinner, who had five blocks and nine digs, and Lauren Harrison had 15 kills each. Hannah Sedwick had four kills, 58 assists, two aces, three blocks, and 11 digs. Jenny Mosser and Caroline Crawford had 11 kills each for Kansas … 

Savannah Davison had 27 kills as Oklahoma (9-9, 3-4) beat visiting Texas Tech (12-8, 2-5) 30-28, 20-25, 25-16, 18-25, 15-13. Davison hit .264 and had four solo blocks and four digs. Megan Wilson had 16 kills. Peyton Dunn had a kill, 54, three blocks, and 11 digs, and Callie Kemohah had 35 digs, a kill, two assists, and an ace. Caitlin Dugan led Texas Tech with 14 kils and four blocks and six digs … 

Kansas State (11-5, 2-3) beat visiting West Virginia (12-4, 2-3) 25-22, 23-25, 25-16, 25-18. Aliyah Carter led with 18 kills, an assist, two blocks, and 16 digs. Jayden Nembhard had 14 kills and three blocks, one solo. Adrian Ell had 13 kills for WVU and 14 digs and three blocks, one solo.

WEST COAST — San Diego (13-3, 7-0) and BYU (17-1, 7-0) remain tied atop the league.

San Diego won 25-21, 19-25, 25-21, 25-27, 15-13 at Pepperdine (13-3, 5-2). Grace Frohling led with 21 kills, an assist, two aces, four blocks, and eight digs. Katie Lukes had 20 kills, two blocks, and 11 digs. Annie Benbow had 22 digs, five assists, and an ace, and Isadora Tercariol had three kills, 42 assists, five blocks, and eight digs. Pepperdine’s Grace Chillingworth had a career-high 22 kills, hit .327, and had a block, an assist, and two digs. Rachel Ahrens had 15 kills but hit .000 to go with three aces, a block, and 11 digs. Meg Brown had 14 kills, hit .321, and had two blocks and six digs. Emma Ammerman had 13 kills, hit .360, and had two blocks and a dig. Isabel Zelaya had two kills, a career-high 66 assists, a block, and nine digs. Madison Shields had 23 digs, four assists, and an ace … 

BYU won 22-25, 25-16, 25-22, 25-18 at LMU (14-3, 5-2) as the Cougars hit .348 and four players had nine or more kills, 12 by Heather Gneiting, who hit .474 and had an assist, an ace, two solo blocks, and a dig. Taylen Ballard-Nixon had 11 kills, hit .360, and had two aces, two solo blocks, and three digs. Megan Rice had 12 kills for LMU, and an ace, two blocks, and 12 digs … 

Santa Clara (6-11, 2-5) won in five at Portland (4-12, 1-6) behind 17 kills from Sophia Tulino, who had three aces, five digs, and two blocks, one solo. Michelle Shaffer had 13 kills, two aces, two assists, 20 digs, and eight blocks, four solo. Julia Sangiacomo also had 13 kills to go with two aces, a block, and 11 digs. Portland’s Jayde Harris had 15 kills, three assists, and five digs … 

Gonzaga (6-12, 2-5) swept winless San Francisco (0-15, 0-7), which hit .000. Marshall McKenna led the Zags with nine kills as she hit .350 and had an ace, two blocks, and 13 digs. Cara McKenzie had eight kills in 14 errorless attacks, an ace, a dig, and seven blocks, two solo. 

WAC — Sam Houston (11-5, 4-0) stayed atop the Southwest Division as it swept at Lamar (4-14, 0-4). Ashley Lewis had 13 kills … NM State (14-4, 5-1) stayed atop the West Division with a four-set win over visiting Grand Canyon (11-4, 3-3) as Katie Birtcil had 19 kills, an assist, six aces, thre blocks, and 11 digs … Utah Valley (9-8, 4-2) won in five at Dixie State (4-10, 3-3) as Kazna Tanuvasa had 15 kills and Kalea Kennedy 14 … California Baptist (8-3, 3-3) swept visiting Seattle U (3-14, 0-6) as it hit .316. Anouk van Noord had 10 kills in 11 errorless swings to hit .909 and Tesa Oaks had 10 kills, an assist, three blocks, and six digs … Tarleton State hit .446 as it swept the SWAC’s Prairie View.

BIG SKY — Weber State (12-5, 7-0) is a game ahead of idle Northern Colorado after sweeping at Southern Utah (5-14, 1-6). Dani Nay had 12 kills, two assists, four aces, and six digs, and Rylin Adams had 10 kills, three aces, a block, and eight digs … 

Portland State (12-6, 6-1) had four players with 10 or more kills and stayed a game off the lead with a five-set win at Montana (6-11, 1-6). Zoe McBride and Ashleigh Barto had 14 kills each. McBride had three aces, two blocks, and 11 digs. Barto hit .545 and had three aces, three digs, and seven blocks, two solo. Ally Wada had a kill, 46 assists, three blocks, and seven digs, and Ellie Snook had 26 digs, two assists, and two aces. Montana’s Paige Clark had 23 kills, three aces, two blocks, and five digs, and Catie Semadeni had 19 kills, hit .500, and had three blocks … 

Montana State (9-9, 5-2) hit .370 and beat visiting Sacramento State (8-9, 3-4) in four as five players had nine or more kills, 18 by Kira Thomsen. She hit .333 and had two assists, a block, and 18 digs. Hannah Scott had 14 kills, hit .345, and had four aces, two blocks, and nine digs … Northern Arizona (7-9, 5-2) swept visiting Idaho State (6-13, 2-5) as Taylor Jacobsen had nine kills, an ace, six digs, and three blocks, one solo … Eastern Washington (7-8, 3-4) won in five at Idaho (3-14, 0-8). Sage Brustad led with 18 kills, an assist, an ace, a solo block, and 13 digs. Maya McClellan had 15 kills, six aces, two blocks, and eight digs. Idaho’s Nicoll Delaney had 25 kills, an ace, two blocks, and 19 digs.

MOUNTAIN WEST — Something had to give as Colorado State (10-6, 6-1) swept visiting New Mexico (14-4, 5-2) and stands alone in first place. CSU’s Kennedy Stanford led with 11 kills as she hit .320 and had three assists, two aces, seven digs, and four blocks, one solo. New Mexico hit .023 … 

UNLV (14-4, 5-2) dropped into second place, too, when the Rebels lost in five at Utah State (13-6, 5-2). Tatum Stall led USU with 18 kills, two assists, and seven digs. Kristy Frank had 17 kills, hit .323, and had two assists and nine digs. UNLV’s Mariena Hayden had 19 kills, hit .390, and had an assist, five blocks, and seven digs … 

Visiting San Diego State (6-13, 3-4) stunned Boise State (14-5, 3-4) by sweeping the Broncos on their home floor. SDSU’s Victoria O’Sullivan had 22 kills, hit .545, and had three blocks and two digs … Wyoming (11-8, 3-4) swept visiting Air Force (4-13, 1-6) as Hailey Zuroske had 12 kills, two assists, three aces, six digs, and two blocks, one solo … San Jose State (11-7, 5-3) need only 31 kills as it swept at Fresno State (7-8, 3-4), which hit minus .085.

SOUTHLAND — Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (10-7, 6-0) remained atop the standings with its four-set win over visiting McNeese (9-8, 3-3). Kyndal Payne had four 14 kills and Rachel Young 13 with no errors in 20 attacks and five blocks … Houston Baptist (14-6, 5-1) stayed a game back with a five-set win at UIW (8-12, 3-3). Anna Gadway led with 17 kills, three assists, three blocks, and 18 digs … Northwestern State (8-13, 2-4) had four players with 11 or more kills as it won in four at New Orleans (1-13, 1-5). Breanna Burrel had 14 kills … Southeastern Louisiana (5-12, 2-4) won in four at Nicholls State (7-11, 0-6). Cicily Hidalgo led with 11 kills.

SUMMIT LEAGUE — South Dakota (10-7, 7-1) broke a tie at the top with a five-set win at Omaha (9-8, 6-1) as Elizabeth Juhnke had 24 kills, an assist, a block, and 22 digs. Madison Harms had 15 kills, three digs, and five blocks, one solo, Lolo Weideman had 32 digs and seven assists, and Madison Jurgens had seven kills, 51 assists, four blocks, and 20 digs. Omaha’s Marriah Buss had 16 kills … 

Denver (15-2, 6-1) stayed a game back in the loss column with a sweep of South Dakota State (12-7, 4-4) as the Pioneers hit .337. Tina Boe led with 11 kills in 18 errorless attacks to go with four blocks and three digs … Kansas City (14-5, 5-2) got 19 kills from Melanie Brecka, who hit .395 and had three blocks and 18 digs, as it swept at Western Illinois (3-16, 2-6) … Oral Roberts (11-5, 5-2) swept at St. Thomas (2-16, 1-7). Sakira LaCour led with 15 kills and three blocks.

AROUND THE NATION — In the only SEC match of the day, fifth-ranked Kentucky (12-3, 5-0) won 25-20, 23-35, 25-20, 25-16 at LSU (7-10, 3-5).

Madi Skinner led UK with 16 kills, an ace, three blocks, and five digs. Alli Stumber had 15 kills, three blocks, and eight digs, and Azhani Tealer had 13 kills, hit .550, and had two digs and eight blocks, two solo. Bella Bell had nine kills, hit .500, and had four blocks. Emma Groome had three kills in five errorless tries, 44 assists, two aces, two blocks, and 11 digs

LSU, which last week lost to Florida in four and then upset the Gators the next night, took a 3-0 lead in the fourth set against Kentucky, but the Wildcats stormed back to go ahead 8-3 and led 21-12 before closing out. Kyle Deberg led the Tigers with 17 kills, an assist, an ace, six digs, and two blocks, one solo. Sanaa Dotson had 13 kills and hit .305, and Taylor Bannister, who became the all-time LSU kills leader, had 11. Ella Larkin had two kills in as many tries, 39 assists, an ace, three blocks, and 11 digs … 

Milwaukee (14-6, 8-0) hit .361 and swept visiting Robert Morris (9-10, 2-5) to build its lead in the Horizon League to three games in the win column. Carmen Heilemann, who had five aces, a block, and seven digs, and Ari Miller had 11 kills each. Heilemann hit .500 and Miller .533. Rylie Vaughn had three kills in six errorless tries, 33 assists, three aces, and four digs. Robert Morris hit .013 … Also in the Horizon, Green Bay swept (9-11,4-4) visiting Youngstown State (4-14, 1-6) as Tiffany Paalman had 11 kills, hit .450, ahd had two blocks. Rylee Boyd had nine kills in 14 errorless attacks, an assist, and three blocks … 

In the only ASUN match of the day, Lipscomb swept at North Alabama for its sixth win a row. Meg Mersman led with 10 kills, four blocks, and a dig … UConn won the only Big East match, beating visiting Providence in four as Caylee Parker, Jasmine Davis and Kennadie Jake-Turner had 12 kills each. Jake-Turner had six blocks … 

CSUN (3-14, 2-5) won in five at UC Davis (5-13, 1-6) and UC Santa Barbara (11-8, 7-0) swept at UC Riverside (4-13, 0-7) in the Big West. CSUN’s Nicole Nevarez and Taylor Orshoff had 14 kills apiece and Seyvion Waggoner had 13. Amara Aimufua had 16 kills for UC Davis … League-leading UCSB, a game ahead of idle Hawai’i in the win column, hit .318. Michelle Ohwobete led with 11 kills … 

In the only Sun Belt match, UT Arlington (4-12, 2-5) hit .097 and won at Arkansas State (13-7, 4-4) with the most unusual score line of 25-23, 25-23, 5-25, 25-22 … 

The lone Mid-American match saw Miami (3-14, 1-6) break through with a win in four at Eastern Michigan (7-11, 2-5). Sophie Riemersma led with 19 kills as she hit .378 and had two assists, a solo block, and 10 digs. Gaby Harper had 15 kills, an assist, an ace, a block, and 17 digs. EMU’s Samantha Basham had 19 kills, an assist, an ace, and 16 digs … 

Southern won its SWAC match at Alcorn as Kendall Dutton had 15 kills and hit .481 in the four-set victory … And Howard swept its MEAC match at South Carolina State. No information was available.

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