Team Black Wins Orange & Black Exhibition

Friday, August 18

Corvallis, Ore.

7:00 PM

Oregon State

Orange & Black Exhibition

Photo by: Dave Nishitani/Oregon State Athletics

August 18, 2017 | Women's Volleyball

By: Athletic Communications

CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Oregon State volleyball team took another step in its preparation for the 2017 season Friday evening when the Beavers hosted the Orange & Black Exhibition in Gill Coliseum. The scrimmage was the first opportunity for Beaver Nation to see this year's team in action.

Team Black won the three-set scrimmage, 25-21, 25-23 and 17-25.

Second-year head coach Mark Barnard was the pleased with the result, observing from the sidelines while assistant coaches Jessica Quinn and Ron Zwerver took charge of each team.

"The freshmen, as a group, were good," Barnard said. In particular, he picked out freshman setter Kylee McLaughlin for a "good job setting" and noted she was a "difference maker."

Freshman outside hitter Maddie Goings was on fire in the opening set receiving high praise from Barnard, when he said, "the way she was playing, I thought she was going to own the world." He also noted the impressive play of redshirt freshman outside hitter Haylie Bennett.

"It is an important part of the preseason, especially for freshmen, to get out in front of the crowd and see what college volleyball is like. I'm happy with tonight's quality of play and overall, it is pretty noticeable that we've improved" since last year, Barnard said. "But we still have areas to improve on."

Barnard has noted since the before the team reported to campus nearly two weeks ago, that the 2017 squad has depth and was proven correct again on Friday.

"I look at it as a good thing. There is quality depth at every position. Tonight we played with several people out of position but they showed some versatility and ability to play outside their comfort level."

Members of Team Orange: Haylie Bennett, Serena Bruin, Kory Cheshire, McKenna Hollingsworth, Mary-Kate Marshall, Grace Massey, Delaney Taylor and Lanesha Reagan, who participated in a coaching role.

Members of Team Black: Makenna Browne, Shekinah Clarke, Kayla Ellis, Maddie Goings, Maddy Gravley, Kylee McLaughlin, Lindsey Schell and Daniela Vargas.

OSU opens the 2017 season when it hosts the Beaver State Classic at Gill Coliseum next weekend. The Beavers begin the tournament with a match against Idaho, Aug. 25 at 10 a.m. OSU returns to the floor that night to face Pacific at 7 p.m. The tourney concludes with the Beavers hosting Kansas State at 7 p.m. on Aug. 26.

Season and single-match tickets for the 2017 season are available for purchase by visiting BeaverTickets.com or calling 1-800-GO-BEAVS.

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/OregonStateVolleyball or on Instagram at Instagram.com/BeaverVBall.

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