Oregon State Wins 5 Set Thriller over Long Beach State

Photo Courtesy: Oregon State Athletics

(BAKERSFIELD, Calif.) — The Oregon State volleyball team (10-1) completed a 3-0 weekend at the Roadrunner Classic with a 3-2 win over Long Beach State (10-4) Saturday evening, 22-25, 25-19, 26-24, 21-25, 16-14.

“It was an up and down match,” said associate head coach Mark Barnard. “It was very similar to the last two times we played them in recent years. I was really pleased with the way the team continued to push, especially in the fifth set when we were down 13-10 and we went on a blocking spree to keep us in the match.”

With the 3-0 weekend the Beavers improve to 10-1 on the year, the best start for the team since the 1996 season when they started the year 11-0.

“We are feeling really good going into conference play,” Barnard said. “We worked hard and earned those wins. We have a lot of depth this year, but more importantly we have quality depth. We have people at every position that can step in and preform. “

Freshman Mary-Kate Marshall was named the Roadrunner Classic MVP, her second tournament MVP honor this year. Senior middle blockers Amanda Brown and Arica Nassar were also named to the all-tournament team.

Marshall finished the weekend with 44 kills, 17 digs, 11 blocks and four service aces. Nassar had 28 kills on only 52 swings, hitting .442 and added 21 blocks, 11 digs. Brown downed 20 kills while hitting .350 and had 16 blocks.

The first set was close early, with the teams trading points throughout. Eventually LBSU was able to take a 15-14 lead, one that they would hold for the rest of the set despite a late push from OSU.

OSU bounced back quickly in the second set, jumping out to a 7-3 lead and quickly extending it to 18-8 in part due to a 7-0 run highlighted by three kills from Marshall. Long Beach pulled within five points at 24-19 before OSU finished the set off in the set and tied things up at 1-1 heading into the break.

The third set was a back and forth battle from start to finish with five lead changes and the score getting tied up 10 times. The Beavers took a 7-4 lead early, but the 49ers battled back and took a 10-9 lead. The teams continued to trade points with neither team able to gain breathing room. With the score tied 24-24 Marshall downed a kill with team able to gain breathing room. With the score tied 24-24 Marshall downed a kill followed by an ace to secure the set for the Beavers.

The Beavers jumped out to an early lead in the fourth set, leading by as many as eight at 12-4. Long Beach closed the gap, pulling within one multiple times and tying the score at 15-15. The set remained close with LBSU eventually taking an 18-17 lead and extending it to 24-19. OSU made a late push but Long Beach was able to take the set 25-21.

Long Beach took a 6-3 lead to start the deciding fifth set. The Beavers were able to tie the score at 9-9 thanks to a 4-0 run highlighted by two Laura Schaudt kills and a pair of blocks, one of which Schaudt was involved in. Long Beach pulled ahead again, taking a 13-10 lead, coming within two points of winning. The Beavers answered with three blocks in a row, including a back-to-back block assist from Marshall and Brown make the score 14-13 Beavers. Long Beach was able to tie it up at 14-14, but OSU clinched the set and the match when Marshall put down kill number 20 of the night followed by an attack error from Long Beach making it 16-14.

“Even though it was my first time facing Long Beach, the upperclassmen were so motivated going into the match that it spread to the rest of the team,” Marshall said. “We knew it would be a battle but we were ready for the challenge. We’ve been working on blocking a lot in practice and I think it translated to the matches this weekend.”

The Beavers had three players with double-doubles. Lila Toner had her first of the year, with 13 kills and 18 digs. Tayla Woods had 53 assists and 15 digs while Nassar finished with 11 kills and 11 blocks. Marshall finished with 20 kills, eight kills and eight blocks, just short of a triple-double. Schaudt downed 11 kill on 26 swings, for a .308 percentage. 

The Beavers will begin Pac-12 play with a trip to Eugene, Ore. to face the No. 14 Oregon Ducks Wednesday, Sept. 24.

The match will air on Pac-12 Oregon at 7:30 p.m.

Source: Oregon State Athletics