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Beavers Fall in Five Set Thriller to No. 17 Oregon

by osubeavers.com
Mar 19, 2021

EUGENE, Ore. – The Oregon State women's volleyball team fell in a five set thriller to in-state rival 17th-ranked Oregon on Friday night in Matthew Knight Arena.
 
The teams traded the first four sets with the Ducks taking sets one (26-24) and three (25-15). The Beavers won sets two (25-19) and four (25-21), while Oregon took the fifth with a score of 15-12.
 
In a competitive opening set, Oregon State took an early 10-7 lead behind seven Beaver kills. Oregon used a 6-2 run to get its first lead of the match at 13-12. Mychael Vernon recorded back-to-back kills prior to the media timeout, putting OSU back on top 15-14.
 
A 4-1 run for the Ducks out of the timeout regained them the advantage of 17-16. The Beavers answered with a 5-2 run, forcing Oregon to use a timeout with Oregon State up 21-19. The Ducks closed the set on a 7-3 run for the 26-24 set win.
 
It was a commanding second set for the Beavers as they evened the match up at 1-1 with a 25-19 set victory.
 
After the teams split the first 18 points of the set, a 5-0 Oregon State run put the team ahead 14-9. The Ducks drew within four, 15-11, but OSU extended its lead to 18-11 with a 3-0 run and made Oregon burn a timeout.
 
Oregon State closed the second set on a 4-1 run and back-to-back kills from Lindsey Schell secured the set for the Beavers.
 
Schell opened the third set with a kill, followed by a solo block from Izzi Szulczewski to give OSU a 2-0 lead.
 
Oregon used a 7-1 run to pull in front 7-3, making the Beavers use its first timeout. Szulczewski got the kill out of the timeout as Oregon State drew within three, 9-6. Just moments later after a 5-0 Duck run, OSU burned its second timeout.
 
Oregon State cut its deficit to as little as five on two separate occasions late, but Oregon held on for the 25-15 win to take a 2-1 match lead.
 
The Beavers took control early in the fourth set with a 5-2 run to open the set as Oregon was forced to use its first timeout. Vernon put Oregon State up 10-6 with a kill and then a service ace. The Ducks cut the OSU lead to one, 10-9, as the Beavers answered with a 5-2 run to take a 15-11 lead.
 
Late in the fourth set with OSU up 21-16, Oregon used its second timeout. A 3-1 run following the timeout gave the Beavers set point. Despite a late push from the Ducks to come within three of OSU, 24-21, Kateryna Tkachenko locked up the 25-21 win to tie the match at 2-2.
 
In great fashion, Schell opened the deciding set with a solo block as OSU took a 3-1 lead early on. The teams traded points before Oregon State took an 8-6 lead to the media timeout. After the Beavers tied the set at 11-11, the Ducks closed the game on a 4-1 run for the 15-12 set win and 3-2 match victory.
 
Match Notes:

  • Freshman Izzi Szulczewski posted her team-leading eighth double-double of the season with a game-high 48 assists and 17 digs. She added five kills and six blocks.
  • Freshman Mychael Vernon notched her fourth double-double this year with a team-high 16 kills and 17 digs.
  • Senior Grace Massey recorded a game-best of 30 digs, while Ellie Turner had 16 digs.
  • Junior Lindsey Schell tallied a season-high 14 kills to go along with eight blocks.
  • Freshman Kateryna Tkachenko tabbed a career-high 15 kills.
  • Nya Buckner made her Oregon State debut, posting two kills.
  • The Beaver's tallied 86 digs compared to 75 for Oregon. OSU out-blocked the Ducks 12-11.

Next Up: Next Up: Oregon State will face in-state rival Oregon in game two on Sunday at 4 pm (PT) on Pac-12 Oregon in Corvallis.
 
Oregon State volleyball fans are encouraged to join Off the Bench, the program's new donor club. Click here for more information or call Alyssa Whitney at 541-231-4351 or email Rebecca McCaulley at rebecca.mccaulley@osufoundation.org.
 
For more information on the Oregon State volleyball team, follow the club's official Twitter account at Twitter.com/BeaverVBall, by Facebook at Facebook.com/BeaverVBall or on Instagram at Instagram.com/BeaverVBall.
 
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Oregon State Athletics strives to Build Excellent Authentic Visionary Student-Athletes (Go BEAVS).
 

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