OSU Opens at Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational
August 27, 2015 | Women's Volleyball
Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational | Aug. 28-30
Stan Sheriff Center
Honolulu, Hawai'i
Oregon State vs. Wichita State | Aug. 28 | 7:30 p.m. PT
Oregon State vs. Idaho | Aug. 29 | 7:30 p.m. PT
Oregon State at No. 18 Hawai'I | Aug. 30 | 8 p.m. PT
Live Stats: Wichita State | Idaho | Hawai'i
Live Video: Hawai'i
HONOLULU, Hawai'i – The Oregon State volleyball team opens its 2015 season with three games during this weekend's Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational beginning Friday at the Stan Sheriff Center.
The Beavers kick off the 2015 campaign with a 7:30 p.m. PT (4:30 p.m. HT) matchup with Wichita State on Friday, continue the tournament with a 7:30 p.m. PT (4:30 p.m. HT) meeting with Idaho on Saturday and wrap up the weekend with a Sunday 8 p.m. PT (5 p.m. HT) tilt at No. 18 Hawai'i.
OSU's opening weekend marks the beginning of a challenging 2015 non-conference slate, as the Beavers will play six matches against non-Pac-12 foes that are either ranked or receiving votes in the 2015 AVCA Division I Coaches Preseason Poll. Two of those games come this weekend in the form of matchups against the ranked Rainbow Wahine and the Shockers, whp are receiving votes.
Fresh off one of the most successful seasons in program history and 2014 Pac-12 and AVCA Regional Coach of the Year selections, head coach Taras Liskevych leads the Beavers for his 11th season at the helm. He is joined by associate head coach Mark Barnard, also in his 11th season, as well as assistant coach Emily Hiza (fifth season) and first-year volunteer assistant coach Andy Levoe.
The 2015 staff is rounded out with Erik Bateham, who is in his second year as graduate manager, along with Jessica Quinn and Ian Parson, who were recently announced as director of operations and assistant director of operations, respectively.
Third-Team All-American and 2014 Pac-12 and AVCA Regional Freshman of the Year Mary-Kate Marshall posted the highest kills total (540) in 2014 of any player in this tournament field, while senior defensive specialist/libero Darby Reeder posted the top digs (614) and the second-highest service aces (38) totals among tournament participants.
Including those two returners, Oregon State brings back nine letterwinners and, including four redshirt freshmen, 13 players overall from the 2014 club that reached the Sweet 16. Three newcomers join the group to form the Beavers' 16-player roster.
Hawai'i's Olivia Magill had the most blocks (137) in 2014 of any Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational participant, while the Rainbow Wahine's Tayler Higgins posted the most service aces (39) and second-most assists (1,115). Idaho's Meredith Coba posted the most helpers last season (1,118).
Oregon State finished 2014 with an 8-1 record in neutral site games. Fellow tournament participants Wichita State and Idaho posted 6-2 and 2-4 neutral site records, respectively, while the hosting Rainbow Wahine closed its 2014 campaign with a 15-4 mark at home.
Live stats will be provided by Hawai'I throughout the tournament, and are accessible through the volleyball schedule page on OSUBeavers.com or through the links above. OSU's matchup with Hawai'I will be streamed online by the Big West Conference, and is also available in the above links. Additionally, the game will be broadcast statewide in Hawai'I on OCSports (channel 16, HD 1016).
Quick Hits
- The Oregon State volleyball team returns the majority of its production from 2014 in nearly every category. Have a look at a summary of the different categories below.
- OSU returns players accounting for over half (about 55 percent) of the team's kills total from last year. Leading the Beavers in that category was Marshall, whose total of 540 set the school freshman kills record and ranks fourth all-time on the program's single-season list.
- The Beavers also return redshirt junior Katelyn Driscoll, who placed second on the team in kills, recording 282 as a redshirt sophomore.
- 65 percent of OSU's digs production returns from the 2014 squad, paced by Reeder's single-season program record tally of 614. Marshall (306) and junior Rachel Buehner (224) return to the club after ranking third and fourth on the team, respectively, in that category last season.
- Each of that same trio ranked within the OSU's top four in service aces last season, as Reeder also led the Beavers in service aces (38), while Marshall recorded 30 and Buehner posted 19. Junior Lila Toner, who recorded 13 last season, will also play a factor for a team that returns 69 percent of its 2014 production in the serve game.
- Last season, the Beavers racked up 20 more aces than their opponents (161 to 141), posting 1.22 aces per set as a team, while maintaining an aces to errors ratio of 0.79.
Student-Athlete Spotlight
No. 0 Jessi Seumalo - Junior Middle Blocker
Hometown: Corvallis, Ore. (Santiam Christian HS/College of Southern Idaho)
- Majoring in Human Development and Family Sciences
- Daughter of Joe and Karen Seumalo, sister of Noah, Levi, Andrew and Isaac
- Describes the OSU coaching staff as caring and funny, while also knowing your potential and how to push you to reach it
- Game day superstitions include listening to music and visualizing herself on the court
- Chose OSU because of the college town atmosphere, the opportunity to compete at the Pac-12 level and the bond with the other girls on the team
- Knew she wanted to be at Oregon State as soon as the staff said they wanted her in Corvallis
- Says that her favorite thing about being a part of the OSU volleyball program is the friendships she has developed with her teammates
- Two of her brothers played for the Oregon State football team: Andrew, from 2009-12, and Isaac, an offensive lineman who is currently on the team
Scouting the Tournament Field
Oregon State has only faced off once in program history with Wichita State, with the Beavers downing the Shockers in straight sets during the 1998 OSU Volleyball Showcase. The Beavers' tournament and 2015 season-opening opponent returns nearly every starter after finishing 20-10 in 2014. As a result, the Shockers are receiving votes in the initial AVCA Division I Coaches Poll.
Abbie Lehman is Wichita State's leading returner in kills (247) and blocks (76), while Emily Hiebert is the Shockers' top returner in assists (942) and service aces (24). Dani Mostrom paced the club in digs (470) in 2014.
The Beavers' Saturday opponent, the Idaho Vandals, finished 16-15 in 2014 with an 11-6 mark in the Big Sky Conference. OSU and Idaho have met 10 times throughout each program's history, with the Beavers holding a 9-1 advantage in the all-time series. The two teams last met on Sept. 12, 2008, when the Beavers defeated the Vandals in four sets at the Portland State Volleyball Showcase.
Meredith Coba is the Vandals' leading returning blocks (56) and assists (1,118) producer, while Jenna Ellis, sister of the Beavers' freshman Kayla Ellis, is the Vandals' top returning producer in service aces (18).
OSU wraps up the Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational with a Sunday matchup at No. 18 Hawai'I, the first ranked opponent the Beavers face this season. The Beavers trail Hawai'I in the all-time series, holding a 1-4 record against the Rainbow Wahine. OSU's win came in its most recent meeting with Hawai'I, as the Beavers knocked off then-No. 10 Hawai'I in three straight sets, marking the first time an unranked team defeated Hawai'I in three sets on the Rainbow Wahine's home court.
The Rainbow Wahine return multiple starters from the 2014 club, highlighted by Tayler Higgins, who is Hawai'I's top returner in digs (254), assists (1,115) and service aces (39).
For more information on the Oregon State volleyball team, follow the club's official Twitter account at Twitter.com/BeavsVolleyball, by Facebook at Facebook.com/OregonStateVolleyball or on Instagram at Instagram.com/OregonStateVolleyball.
