Seattle
Seattle at Wazzu is a file of 4 stories. The newest of them: “Cougs Open the Pool Season by Cleaning Up in Seattle”, “Cougs pack the bags for three in Seattle”, and “Kirby Moore Breaks Down the Boeing Apple Cup Loss Straight From the Locker Room”. The pool deck at Husky Haven is a little cleaner today, and that's not a bad way to start the season. Three in Seattle. The unofficial read for people who left Pullman and stayed Cougs. The list below is every Seattle story on Wazzu, newest first.
Cougs Open the Pool Season by Cleaning Up in Seattle
The pool deck at Husky Haven is a little cleaner today, and that's not a bad way to start the season. The Cougs went over to Seattle and didn't just show up; they cleaned up. It's early, sure, but there's something satisfying about seeing the maroon on top of the scoreboard in that building. You don't need to overthink a win like that. You take it, you pack the bus, and you head back across the pass with a little extra bounce in your step. There's a rhythm to these early meets. The strokes aren't perfect yet, the relays still have a few rough handoffs, but the effort is there. That's what you want to see in the first outing. You can coach speed later. You can't coach wanting it, and this group looked like they wanted it from the first heat. If you're already missing the water and want more of that Cougar fix, check out "Cougs Pack the Bags for Three in Seattle" for a look at how the travel squad is shaping up. It's a good companion piece to what we saw this weekend. For now, the take is simple: the season is open, the pool is fast, and the Cougs are already making themselves at home in someone else's lane. That's a good look on them. Go Cougs.
Cougs pack the bags for three in Seattle
Three in Seattle. Cougs are packing bags and heading west, and that means the volleyball team is taking its show on the road for a stretch. The weekend in Pullman was a full one, Cougar Classic wrapped with the home team still standing, and the gym saw a season-best 61 kills in a match that needed every single one of them. That kind of effort doesn't just fade when you leave the Palouse. It travels. For anyone who made it to Bohler or followed along on the stream, you know this group doesn't flinch. They swing hard, they dig deep, and they make you earn every point. Now they get to do it in a city that's full of Cougs who can't always make it back to campus. Seattle is the biggest alumni hub we've got, and when the team rolls in, the bars fill up and the old stories come out. It's a different kind of home court. If you missed how Day Two ended, go find "Cougar Classic Day Two wraps with Pullman still standing and plenty to talk about." That one will catch you up on what it took to get here. This weekend is about proving that the good stuff from the Classic wasn't a fluke. Go Cougs.
Kirby Moore Breaks Down the Boeing Apple Cup Loss Straight From the Locker Room
Kirby Moore didn't hide after the Boeing Apple Cup loss. He stood in the locker room and broke it down like a coach who knows his guys deserve the truth, not a spin. That's what you want to hear. Moore talked about what the Coug offense is building. Not excuses. Not moral victories. Just the work. You can feel the frustration in his voice, but also the belief. That matters more than any one scoreboard. This is the same offense we've been watching take shape all season. If you haven't read "Kirby Moore on the mic: what the Coug offense is building," go back and grab that one. It puts this locker room moment in context. Moore isn't starting from scratch. He's stacking blocks. Some days the wall holds. Some days it doesn't. The Apple Cup stings. It always does. But listening to Moore, you get the sense this group isn't going to fold. They'll watch the film, take the hits, and line up again. That's the Pullman way. Go Cougs.
Cougs finish nonconference clean, hang on to beat Seattle U 2-1
Seattle U made it interesting late, but the Cougs held on 2-1 to finish nonconference play without a blemish. That is clean work. No drama before the real stuff starts, unless you count a few nervous minutes at the end. We will take it. This team has been stacking wins all month. If you missed the way they handled business over the weekend, go find "Doubles point locked in early as Cougs clean up to open the weekend." That one captures the tone: get ahead, stay ahead, don't look back. Today looked a little different, Seattle U didn't go quietly, but the result is the same. A win is a win, and a perfect nonconference slate is a perfect nonconference slate. Now the schedule flips. The games that count for seeding start soon. This group has earned the right to walk into that with some confidence. They have also earned the right to not get too comfortable. Conference play does not care about September. Go Cougs.