OSU Tops Sooners in Five Sets

NORMAN, Okla. – Oregon State volleyball (1-0) opened its season with a gritty five-set victory (25-20, 20-25, 25-22, 22-25, 15-12) against Oklahoma (0-1) in the evening match of the Oklahoma Invitational. Friday's win marks the first time OSU has defeated the Sooners since 1991.
 
A trio of Beavers finished with double-digit kills, led by freshman Vivian Light with 16 kills and two blocks. Junior Lindsey Schell recorded 14 kills with five blocks, while freshman Madison Kelly added 10 kills and four blocks. Izzi Szulczewski posted her first double-double of the season with 34 assists and 19 digs.
 
In the first set, Oregon State trailed, 8-5, before Light and Kelly recorded back-to-back kills to swing the momentum in OSU's favor and lead to an 11-11 tie. The Beavers went on a three-point run to make it 14-11 after Emily Bourne and Schell combined for a block assist and OSU never looked back. The Beavers went on a five-point swing to put away the Sooners that concluded with Kelly getting the final point for a 25-20 set win.
 
In the second set, the match seemed to flip with Oklahoma going on a 7-2 run to pull away from the Beavers. OSU stayed within striking distance off key kills from Schell, Bourne and Light. Ellie Turner also came up with crucial service aces to keep OSU close, but the Beavers dropped the set 25-20.
 
In the third set, both sides traded points until it was tied at 14-all following a block from Szulczewski and Schell. OU started to inch ahead before OSU went on a four-point run to make it 20-18. Oregon State was able to pull out the set win, 25-22, after Kelly, Schell and Szulczewski put away the final few points for the Beavers.
 
Set four started the same way as set three with the Beavers and Sooners trading points until it was tied at 11-all. OU went on a 7-3 point run to take the lead. The Beavers brought it within two points with Kelly and Nya Buckner recording a block to make it 20-18 and then brought it to a one-point set following a Szulczewski and Schell block to make it 23-22, but it wasn't enough as OU took the match 25-22.
 
The Beavers hit their stride early in the fifth set and went on an 8-4. The Sooners attempted to make a comeback, but the offensive prowess of Schell, Light and Kelly kept Oklahoma at bay. OSU took the final set, 15-12, for the first victory of the 2021 season.
 
UP NEXT:
The Beavers return to action tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. PT to take on Houston (1-0) at the Oklahoma Invitational.
 
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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