OSU Drops Match Two to 17th-Ranked Oregon

CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Oregon State women's volleyball team dropped straight sets to No. 17 Oregon on Sunday night in Gill Coliseum.
 
After opening the match with a 25-19 set win, the Ducks took sets two and three with a score of 25-22 in each set.
 
It was an early 5-1 lead out of the gate for Oregon before back-to-back Beaver points made it 5-3. Oregon State used its first timeout following the Ducks opening their lead to five, 13-8. The teams went on to trade the next 12 points out of the timeout as Oregon took a 19-14 lead.
 
A kill for the Ducks gave them set point at 24-16, but OSU responded with three-straight points that included back-to-back kills from Mychael Vernon to make the score 24-19. OU went on to the 25-19 win to open the match.
 
Oregon State used an early 3-0 run, which included kills from three different Beavers, to take a 4-3 lead in set two. Behind a 3-0 run of its own, Oregon took an 11-9 advantage. OSU answered with a 4-0 run to jump back in front at 13-11 and eventually take a 15-13 lead to the media timeout.
 
The Ducks regained the lead with a 4-2 run out of the timeout, eventually closing the set on a 6-1 run to go up 2-0 in the match.
 
In set three, both teams traded the first nine points as Oregon State took a 5-4 lead off a kill from Vernon.
 
Oregon went ahead 7-6 following a 3-0 run, but OSU was unfazed as it used a 6-1 run to force the Ducks to burn a timeout after a kill from Aliyah McDonald. Nya Buckner recorded a kill in the second of two points for Oregon State after the timeout, putting the Beavers up 14-8.
 
A 5-1 run for Oregon cut its deficit to two, 15-13, causing a Beaver timeout. Just four points later with the Ducks now in front, 17-16, OSU used its second timeout. Oregon State tied the game up at 19 apiece late.
 
Following the tie, Oregon took back-to-back points as OSU rallied with a 3-0 run to go in front 22-21 and force an OU timeout. Off a 4-0 run to close the set, Oregon secured the 25-22 set win and match sweep.
 
Match Notes:

• Freshman Izzi Szulczewski posted her team-leading ninth double-double of the season with team-highs of 21 assists and 14 digs.

Next Up: Oregon State heads on the road for the final time this season to face UCLA on Mar. 26 and 28.
 
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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