By
Kamy Shaygan
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Wildcats put 8-match win streak on the line against WSU,
The Arizona women's volleyball team will hope to extend their eight-game winning streak this weekend when they travel to the Pacific Northwest to face Washington State and the University of Washington.
Although neither Washington State nor Washington are ranked in the top 25, the No. 10 Wildcats must avoid looking past the Cougars and Huskies in anticipation of next week's contest against Stanford at McKale Center.
"We are not in a position where we are overlooking either school," UA head coach David Rubio said. "We need to really guard against that this weekend."
Rubio stepped up the level of intensity in practices this week in order to prepare the Wildcats (8-1 overall, 1-0 Pacific 10 Conference) for the upcoming weekend.
"He tried hard in practice to build us up for this match just so we don't go in there expecting to win," junior outside hitter Jill Talbot said. "He's just trying to get our mentality to take care of business."
Washington State (8-2, 0-2) could pose problems for the Wildcats tonight because of their unorthodox style of play.
"The style in which they play is different than what we are accustomed to," Rubio said. "Their tempo and rhythm is much quicker. The type of offense they run is at a quicker tempo, and they kind of keep you off balance."
The Cougars' unusual style also poses another problem for the Wildcats on the defensive end.
"Your blockers don't get a chance to get set, so defensively it's a little more difficult," Rubio said. "Washington State is a very good team."
The Cougars hardly scare Talbot, though.
"They aren't as built up as certain teams are," Talbot said. "I'm confident in my own abilities as well as my team."
Tomorrow's match against the Huskies (4-4, 0-2) won't be any easier for Arizona either.
The last time the Wildcats faced Washington, the match went five games before the Wildcats prevailed.
"The last time we played Washington, we barely won," Rubio said. "They were on fire against us. We were lucky to get out of there alive."
Arizona will have to rely on it's core players - junior setter Dana Burkholder, senior middle blocker Marisa DaLee and sophomore outside hitter Lisa Rutledge - to continue its eight match win streak.
Senior outside hitter Allison Napier also figures into the equation for the Wildcats.
One of the most consistent UA players this season, Napier recorded a career high .462 hitting percentage against Brigham Young University last weekend.
"She has really become a leader - and maybe not a verbal leader - but she's really gotten the job done when she has been put in," Talbot said. "It's awesome for our depth. It just gives us that one more weapon and that's really beneficial to our success on the team."
