Oregon State
Portland
Dominant Third Set Keys Sweep of Portland
November 20, 2024 | Women's Volleyball
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Needing just three sets in the penultimate home match on Wednesday night, the Oregon State volleyball team completed an emphatic sweep of Portland.
Holding the Pilots to under .200 in all three frames, including a -.103 mark in the third, Oregon State (9-16, 7-7 WCC) finished the match winning 25-19, 25-19, 25-4.
With a dozen kills, Annika Hester led the Beavers in kills while Emma Lilo dished 15 assists and Yasemin Narlioglu dug out 13 to lead the defense on the night. Vivian Light (10 kills) and Alara Doganyuz (14 assists) also helped pace the offense while Lilo (8 digs) and Lauren Rumel (7 digs) kept up a potent defense. Oregon State combined for 42 digs in the contest.
Leading by just four after an Elin Larsson kill for the Pilots to cut their deficit to just four at 8-4, the Beavs took over in the final set.
Following that Portland kill, Oregon State would dominate and go on a 17-0 run, cruising to the win. Behind 13 digs in the set, Narlioglu led a potent defense that combined for 20 and held the Pilots to a negative hitting rate (-.103) on the way to the 21-point win. During the run, Oregon State took advantage of six Pilot errors and a point from a red card on the bench. The offense – which hit .481 - was led by Light's six kills, Doganyuz's five assists and a pair of Rumel aces.
The Beavers took advantage early with identical 25-19 set wins in the first two frames while holding the Pilots to inefficient attacks, just .206 in the second after .138 in the opener.
Despite trailing in the onsets on the first two frames, the Beavers' attack got it going it when necessary. Deadlocked at 15 in the first, a pair of Zaria Thornton kills highlighted a 5-0 run that sparked the offense to pull away, eventually winning at 25-19. A pair of Portland miscues stretched the Beaver lead to seven late before it ended at six with an Amanda Burns kill.
Multiple runs – including a 7-1 one to end it – highlighted the Oregon State second. Battling back-and-forth until the score was knotted at 18, the Beavers found the Pilots still hanging around. Despite holding Portland to a .206 clip in the set, Oregon State committed some errors to keep it closer than comfortable. Following a Pilot service ace to tie it at 18, the Beavers used one last run to put them on the brink.
The 21-point set win (25-4) is now the largest by margin of victory for the Beavers under the direction of Lindsey Behonick. Last year, Oregon State won a set at Washington by 18 (25-7) in a four-set win.
Portland's hitting rate (.087) was the lowest by an opponent all season as well as points with 35.0.
Oregon State will close out the home season on Friday, November 22, against Washington State. The match against the Cougars is set for 7 p.m. and can be seen on ESPN+.
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