CORVALLIS, Oregon – Utah State volleyball fell to Oregon State in five sets, 3-2 (26-28, 25-14, 20-25, 25-19, 15-10) on Saturday afternoon at Gill Coliseum.
Set One
The Aggies started fast with a 4-0 burst early in set one as graduate opposite side hitter
Lauren Bodily and junior outside hitter
Sami Blackett pushed USU ahead with kills out of the gate. After the Beavers battled ack to tie the set, Utah State again jumped ahead as kills from Blackett and junior outside hitter
Olivia Ruy kicked off a 6-1 run. Graduate middle blocker
Sophie Scott and junior middle blocker
Ava Napierski both registered kills as USU took a 12-7 lead to force a Beaver timeout. OSU answered back with a 6-1 burst of their own as the set became a back-and-forth affair in the late stages. After pushing beyond 25 points, Ruy posted back-to-back kills to give USU a 28-26 win to open the match.
Set Two
Oregon State rushed out in set two, using a 7-0 run to take control of the second frame. Utah State battled late with back-to-back aces from Blackett anchoring a 3-0 burst, but USU was unable to threaten the deficit as the Beavers took a 25-14 win to tie the match at one set apiece.
Set Three
After battling back-and-forth through the early stages, Oregon State scored four-straight to take the first sizable lead of the third frame. Ruy and Bodily notched kills to begin a 5-1 run for USU's response with junior libero/outside hitter
Justyna Novakova capping the run with an ace to put the Aggies ahead at 12-11. Utah State later took firm control with a 6-0 burst as Blackett and Scott posted kills to begin the run before Ruy scored back-to-back kills to cap it off en route to a 25-20 Aggie win.
Set Four
Both sides exchanged 3-0 run early in the fourth set before OSU used a 6-1 run to take a five-point lead. The Aggis notched another pair of 3-0 runs in a comeback attempt with Novakova adding an another ace plus Napierski and Bodily combining for a block. Napierski also added a kill alongside Ruy and Scott as USU cut the deficit to four points but back-to-back Beaver points closed out a 25-19 win for the home side to send the match to a fifth set.
Set Five
Oregon State jumped out to a 9-2 lead to begin the final frame. A kill from Blackett helped turn the tide as USU climbed back into contention with a 7-3 stretch. Napierski added a pair of kills during the run and USU posted back-to-back blocks, first coming from sophomore setter
Silina Damuni and then from Scott and Ruy to trim OSU's lead to three points. The time ran out on the comeback, however, as the Beavers closed out the match with a 15-10 win.
Quick Notes
- Blackett and Ruy tied for the team lead with 14 kills apiece. Ruy added four digs and three blocks while Blackett finished with three digs and tied for the team lead with two aces.
- Napierski set a new career-high with 13 kills, also adding four blocks, including one solo, four digs and two assists.
- Bodily and Scott each added seven kills. Bodily tied her career-high with four blocks while Scott led the team with six blocks, including one solo.
- Damuni set career-highs in both assists and digs, recording her ninth double-double of the season with 45 assists and 21 digs. She also added three blocks.
- Novakova tied for the team lead with two aces and set a career-high with 15 digs.
Up Next
The Aggies (3-16, 2-7 Pac-12) returns to Club Estes to host Washington State on Thursday, Oct. 29, at 7 p.m. (MT).
Tickets
Single-game tickets are on sale now and can be purchased through
the USU online ticket office.
Fans can follow the Aggie volleyball program on Twitter, @USUVolleyball, on Facebook at /USUVolleyball or on Instagram, @usuvolleyball. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter, @USUAthletics, Facebook at /USUAthletics and on Instagram, @USUAthletics.
- USU -
