Albers leads Wash U to title match

Wash U middle Erin Albers had a team-high 25 kills on 50 swings to lead Washington in a thrilling 3-2 (15-12 fifth set) win over Hope in the first semifinal match of the evening. Wash U will be making its 14th trip to the finals.

The Bears withstood an offensive onslaught from Hope in a battle of terminations (only 114 digs and 13 blocks vs. 135 kills on the night). Flying Dutch setter Andrea Helminiak guided an offense that recorded 71 kills and hit .312. The Bears collected 64 kills and hit .252. Hope’s Jacie Fiedler had a match-high 28 kills on .490 hitting. Helminiak recorded a match-high 62 assists. Lauren Budde chipped in with 19 kills and Kristen Thomas added 14 for the Bears.

To me it came down to Wash U freshman setter Marilee Fisher playing better in the fifth set than she had in the previous three. Of the Bears’ 15 points in Set 5, 10 were via kills. Fisher had assists on nine of them. Fisher found Albers, and she made things happen. The other difference was the Wash U block, which was far superior to Hope’s. But honestly, I thought Hope, making its first trip to the Elite 8, outplayed Wash U on the whole. Fifth sets are weird that way. Man, what a match!

Neither Wash U nor Hope had lost a five-setter this season until tonight.

Wash U awaits the winner of No. 1 Juniata vs. No. 2 UW Oshkosh in the nightcap, which will see a late start due (6:30 CST) to the awesomeness and duration of the first semifinal.

-Ricky Nelson