SPORT REPORT

Although football takes most of the spotlight during the fall, there are many other Husky sports thriving and making a big impact as we reach the halfway point in most of their seasons. UW athletics have proven that they are a force to be reckoned with in any field or court of play — and that has not slowed down early in the year. 

Husky volleyball has shown that they are a national title contender once again after an incredible 12–3 start to the season. This included a 3–1 win on the road over Stanford — who was ranked #1 in the country at the time. This marked only the fourth time the Huskies have defeated Stanford in Palo Alto, and the first time since 2007.

The Huskies now find themselves ranked #11 in the country as they continue to battle through Pac 12 conference play. In the upcoming week, they will be heading on the road to face Colorado and Utah before coming home for a pair of highly important games, with top ranked USC and UCLA. 

If they keep playing up to their potential, the Huskies could very well find themselves in the NCAA tournament for the eighteenth year in a row. The win over Stanford gave this team the confidence that they can take on anyone in the country, and will make a run at their second national title in school history. 

Moving from the court to the pitch, the Husky men and women’s soccer teams both performed well in their seasons thus far. The men are currently ranked #2 in the country, sporting a 10–1 record, including wins over top ranked Stanford and Michigan State earlier in the year. 

Leading the team has been redshirt sophomore Lucas Meeks — who has scored six goals this season. Meeks was the hero in the team’s upset win over Stanford last week, where he scored the game’s winning goal in the 105th minute, thanks to an assist from junior Blake Bodily — the team’s point co-leader. 

“As soon as I played it out there, I found my way into the box and really just trusted Blake was going to put that one in there,” Meek said in an interview with The Daily. “Lucky enough, it landed right at the back post where I was, and I gave it everything I had.”

This was a monumental win for the Dawgs as it propelled them to the top of the rankings and made them a legitimate contender for the national championship. The farthest the team has advanced in the tournament is the quarterfinals back in 2013, but this year’s squad has their eyes set on a championship. 

The women’s soccer team has not fared as well as the men thus far, but they are still holding their own as they battle for a spot in the NCAA tournament. The team currently sits at 8–3–2 after a huge win over nationally ranked Arizona in Seattle. This win moves the Huskies up to third place in the Pac 12 and will most likely find themselves ranked once again. 

This upcoming week the Huskies will go on the road to play Colorado and Utah before finishing the regular season at home for the final three games, including the Apple Cup versus Washington State. 

Remember: your husky card can get you into all UW sporting events excluding football and basketball for free, so be sure to catch your Huskies in action before the season is over.