Volleyball Heads Northwest to Cougar Invitational

Friday, September 1

Pullman, Wash.

Noon

Tulsa

Drake

Photo by: Campbell Rogerson

Volleyball Heads Northwest to Cougar Invitational

8/31/2023 4:19:00 PM | Volleyball

Tulsa VB Weekly Notes #2 Tulsa vs Drake Live Stats Tulsa vs Drake Live Stream Tulsa vs NSU Live Stats Tulsa vs NSU Live Stream Tulsa vs Washington State Live Stats Tulsa vs Washington State Live Stream

TULSA, Okla. — The Tulsa volleyball team will make its way to the pacific northwest to compete in the Cougar Invitational, hosted by No. 17 Washington State. The 1-1 Golden Hurricane will start off against Drake (0-3) at noon Friday, followed by a nightcap against Northwestern State (0-4) at 7 p.m. Tulsa will wrap up the two-day event against the hosting Cougars (2-1) Saturday at 8 p.m.

All matches will stream for free on Pac-12.com and Pac-12 Now.

After one week of play, Tulsa has made an impact in the national and conference statistics. Graduate outside hitter Kayley Cassaday is second in the country with 14 attacks per set. She leads the American Athletic Conference in that category and is second in the league in kills per set (4.86) and points per set (5.29).

Senior middle blocker Regan Pendleton is 10th in the conference in blocks per set (1), helping Tulsa reach 2.29 blocks per set, the sixth-best mark in The American.

Tulsa and Drake will meet for the first time since 1995. Friday marks the 12th-ever meeting with Drake, who holds the series advantage 9-2. The winless Bulldogs opened the season against tough competition at the Flyer Invitational last week, taking 3-2 losses to No. 12 Marquette and Dayton and a three-set sweep to No. 24 Western Kentucky.

Two Bulldogs rank top-ten nationally in three major statistical categories. Libero Jada Wills has 76 digs (fourth) at 5.85 digs per set (third), while setter Addison Beagle has 144 assists (seventh) under her belt.

The Hurricane will take on Northwestern State for the first time since 2018 for the ninth overall match in the series, which Tulsa dominates 8-0.

The Demons have won only one set in four matches to open the season. They took a 3-1 loss to Eastern Kentucky before suffering 3-0 sweeps to Louisiana and Mississippi State at the StarkVegas Classic. In their home opener on Monday, the Demons took a straight-set loss to UCLA.

NSU's top attacker is Teresa Garza, who leads the team in kills per set (2.31), attacks per set (9.69) and total attacks (126). On the defensive side, libero Ashlyn Svoboda has 53 digs at 4.08 digs per set, both of which rank top-three in the Southland Conference.

Saturday's match with Washington State marks the first meeting since 2010 and the fourth overall matchup in the series, which the Cougars lead 2-1.

Washington State debuted at No. 21 in the first AVCA Coaches' Poll last week and rose to No. 17 after earning three-set sweeps over Wright State and Troy and taking a 3-0 loss to No. 3 Louisville at the Cardinal Classic.

The Cougars hit and pass the ball efficiently, leading the Pac-12 in team assists per set (14.11) and ranking second in team hitting percentage (.350). Only five other schools in the country have a better hitting average.

Washington State also ranks among the top half of the Pac-12 in total kills (134), kills per set (14.89), total assists (127) and attacks per set (31.78).