Beavers Start Season with Sweep of Saint Mary's

LOGAN, Utah – The Oregon State University volleyball team (1-0, 0-0 Pac-12) opened the 2014 season with a win at the Utah State Volleyball Invitational, facing off against Saint Mary's. The Beavers grounded the Gaels in straight sets, 25-16, 25-14, and 25-22.

“It was a good win for us,” said head coach Taras Liskevych. “We really played well as a team. They are a formidable team and have done well in their conference. Haley Clarke had a great match, but really all around it was a very good hitting night for us.”  

The Beavers hit .487 as a team, with only five errors, compared to the Gaels .124 hitting percentage and 23 errors.  The program record for attack percentage in a three-set match is .510, accomplished by the 1988 Beavers against Southern Utah.

Redshirt Junior Clarke and senior Laura Schaudt both started quickly as they had two kills each with only four total swings to start the match.  Clarke led all hitters with five kills on just six swings in the first set.

The Beavers hit .500 in the first set as they totaled 13 kills on just 26 swings with no errors. They took the set 25-16.

Oregon State jumped out to a 6-0 lead to start the second set and cruised to a 25-14 score, with 14 kills on only 21 swings with a lone hitting error.

The third set would prove to be closer than the first two, with the Gaels taking a lead for the first time in the match at 12-11 and again at 13-12. The Beavers quickly scored four straight points to take a 16-13 lead and did not look back as they took the set 25-22 to give them the match 3-0.

Freshman Mary-Kate Marshall led the Beavers with 12 kill on 25 swings. Marshall added seven digs and a block assist to her final line. Schaudt, Clarke and senior Amanda Brown each finished with seven kills with only one hitting error between the triad of upperclassmen. Katelyn Driscoll finished the night with six kills on 13 swings, along with two digs, a block solo and two block assists.

The Beavers had 8.5 team blocks on the night, with 15 block assists. Brown had four block assists, followed by Schaudt with three.   

“Our blocking was very good today,” Liskevych said. “It made a big difference in the match.”

Tayla Woods had 35 assists on the night, along with three kills in just four attempts. The senior also had five digs and two block assists against Saint Mary's. Darby Reeder had 13 digs and two assists at libero. 

“If there is an area we can improve a little it is our passing and serving, but I believe that will come with time,” Liskevych said. “All in all it was a really good match for us. “

The Beavers will return to the court Saturday when they play two matches, first in the morning at 9 a.m. PT when they face off against the host Utah State Aggies. The Beavers will play Idaho State Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. PT to finish their participation at the Utah State Volleyball Invitational.