Depleted Beavers Overcome Zags in Four

Saturday, September 14

Seattle, WA

2:00 PM

Oregon State

Gonzaga

Photo by: Dave Nishitani/Oregon State Athletics

September 14, 2019 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

By: Athletic Communications

SEATTLE, Wash. – The Oregon State volleyball team (5-2), which is depleted this weekend by injuries and illness, overcame a lack of available bodies to defeat Gonzaga (6-3) Saturday afternoon in the Beavers' second match of the Redhawk Invitational. Sixth-year senior Kory Cheshire, who is playing out of position, came through to lead the offense with a career-best 17 kills.

Set scores were 23-25, 25-20, 25-20 and 25-23.

The first set start in a give-and-take with neither team able to stop the other in the early going. OSU used back-to-back blocks by Lindsey Schell and Haylie Bennett to fuel a 4-0 run giving the Beavers their first lead at 9-7. The Beavers stretched the lead to 20-14 before the Zags pushed forward with an 8-1 surge to regain the lead at 22-21. The Bulldogs continued with the momentum stealing the opening set 25-23.

Oregon State regrouped in the second set. Leading 7-6, OSU went on a 4-0 run with Shekinah Clarke and Serena Bruin provided the scoring in the form of three kills and a block to go ahead 10-6. The Bulldogs worked their way back to tie the game at 14 but a kill by Cheshire and an ace from Maddie Sheehan put the Beavers up 16-14 and they wouldn't look back. Bruin continued to shine as the second set went on adding two more kills and a block and the Beavers took the set, 25-20, to even the match a game apiece.

OSU continued its solid play in the third set. Down 4-3, OSU went on a 6-0 run as Sheehan spread the ball around with Cheshire, Bennett, Schell and Clarke each notching kills during the burst to go ahead 9-5. Gonzaga fought back to tie the score but could never gain the lead. Bennett tallied two more kills and combined on a block with Bruin during a 6-1 flurry to put the Beavers up 22-17. OSU held on to take the set, 25-20, going up two sets to one.

The Beavers took the momentum and swiftly used it to their advantage moving up on the Bulldogs 12-5 behind a trio of Cheshire kills to open the fourth set. However, the Bulldogs wouldn't go down easily fighting back to take the lead at 17-16 and again at 19-18. But the Beavers persevered with Cheshire, Clarke and Bennett each registering kills and Bruin once again turning away a Bulldog offering at the net. The Beavers secured the fourth set, 25-23, to win their third straight match.

Game Notes: Sixth-year senior Kory Cheshire, who is playing out of position this weekend due to injuries, set a career-high with 17 kills against the Bulldogs … Serena Bruin posted 10 blocks along with a career-high eight kills against Gonzaga. It is the second time in her career she has had double-digit blocks … Lindsey Schell matched her career-high with 9 blocks … Makenna Browne established a career-high with 10 digs … Shekinah Clarke aced the Zags three times setting a career-high … the Beavers continue to play without OH Chloe Brown (injury), OPP Nya Buckner (injury), OH Maddie Goings (injury), OH Cecilee Max-Brown (illness), MB Amya Small (injury) and OH Amy Underdown (injury)

Next Up: Oregon State returns to the court at the Redhawk Center this evening to take on Seattle at 6 p.m.

Season and single game tickets for the 2019 Oregon State volleyball season are now available for purchase via BeaverTickets.com/Volleyball and 1-800-GO-BEAVS.

Oregon State volleyball fans are encouraged to join Off the Bench, the program's new donor club. Click here for more information or call Alex Gary in Our Beaver Nation at 541-737-2370.

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.

OUR MISSION
Oregon State Athletics strives to Build Excellent Authentic Visionary Student-Athletes (Go BEAVS).