No. 1 Huskies host Wazzu

By Ben Miller

Oct 8, 2004, 12:00 AM

The Washington women's volleyball squad takes the court for the first time in program history as the No. 1 team in the country, against in-state rival Washington State. The Huskies (12-0 overall, 4-0 Pac-10) swept the Oregon schools in Seattle last weekend, needing only three games to defeat both Oregon and Oregon State. UW is off to its best season start since the 1977 squad started the season winning its first 21 matches. The Cougars (3-13, 0-4) are winless in their last seven games. They are led by outside hitter Kelly Rosin, who averages a team-high of 3.81 kills per game, and middle blocker Jennifer Todd, who adds 3.76 kills per game. "Kelly Rosin is a physical kid," said coach Jim McLaughlin. "They have some kids that can play the game at a nice level, but what I'm worried about is us playing at our level." The Cougars may be without starting setter Nicole Martin - who leads the team with 11.34 assists per game -- after an injury against Oregon State last weekend puts her status for tonight's match in doubt. The Huskies defense has shut down the opposition, holding their opponents to a Pac-10 low .116 hitting percentage, while leading the league in digs with a mark of 17 per game. For McLaughlin, the keys to the game will be for the UW to not beat itself. "The focus is always with the Huskies," McLaughlin said. "It doesn't matter who we play, where we play, when we play. It's how we play; we've been doing that for four years." While the Huskies have gotten off to their best start ever in conference play, and the Cougars are still winless in the Pac-10 under first-year head coach Brian Heffernan, the volleyball version of the Apple Cup will still be an important match up. "The emotions are going to run a little higher for the players," McLaughlin said. "There are Washington kids on their side, there are Washington kids on our side, and it is UW against WSU."

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