SEATTLE—It was three years ago when Washington and Nebraska played for the NCAA volleyball title. This year, one of them won’t make it that far.
Airial Salvo, who transferred to Washington from Utah last year, had 15 kills against her former team on Friday night, and the fifth-seeded Huskies hit better than .400 for the match to sweep past the Utes in the NCAA tournament West Regional semifinals.
Scores were 25-16, 25-20, 25-16.
Washington (27-4), playing on its home court as the regional host, will take on fourth-seeded Nebraska (30-2) for the regional championship on Saturday night. That will be a rematch of the 2005 NCAA final, which the Huskies won in a three-game sweep at San Antonio, Texas.
The Cornhuskers breezed past Michigan in three sets in Friday’s first regional semi, 25-13, 25-16, 25-18.
“We want a return against a big-time program, and now we have an opportunity,” Washington coach Jim McLaughlin said of Saturday’s regional final showdown. “They’re good, they’re tough. But it doesn’t matter who we play or when we play or where we play. We just have to do the things we’re capable of and stay in our routines.”
Washington has won 11 consecutive matches and 16 of its past 17. The Utes (26-6) had an 11-match winning streak snapped. Utah came into Friday’s contest having won 19 of its past 20.
Kindra Carlson and Becky Perry added 12 kills apiece for the Huskies. Jenna Hagglund racked up 36 assists.
Washington, which came in hitting .294 for the season, hit .413 on Friday night. Carlson hit .611, and Salvo hit .483.
“Airial had good heat tonight,” McLaughlin said of his 6-foot outside hitter, who had to sit out last year because of NCAA transfer rules. “Her arm was feeling good. She was hitting high and hard and hitting her shots and hitting with some energy.”
Utah was led by the 10 kills of Kathryn Haynie. Stephanie Shardlow had 21 assists. The Utes hit .253 for the match.
The Huskies were up just 13-12 in the first set when they ran off four straight points to take command at 17-12. The Utes never came closer than four after that.
Washington trailed by as many as three points through the first half of the second set, the last time at 10-7. Utah was still up 13-12 when it sent a serve long, tying the set at 13-13. The Huskies ran off the next six points for a 19-13 advantage. The Utes got as close at 20-18 before Washington pushed the lead back to four.
The Huskies ran off seven consecutive points in the third set to move from 8-6 behind to 13-8 ahead, and never trailed again.
“We created opportunities, and at this point of the season, that’s what we want to do,” said Washington’s Tamari Miyashiro, who led the Huskies with 14 digs.
The Huskies, who swept past Portland State and Santa Clara in the first two rounds at home last weekend, are making their seventh consecutive NCAA tournament appearance, which included a run of three straight Final Fours (2004, 2005 and 2006).
Utah was playing in the tournament’s Sweet 16 for just the second time in school history. The Utes scored three-game sweeps against Furman and Clemson in the first two rounds last weekend.
