Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct Alana Marrs’ position title.
The Oregon State Volleyball team had a dominant showing over the weekend at the ASICS Invitational hosted at Gill Coliseum.
The Beavers won the first two games in back-to-back sweeps against Montana State and UC Irvine, respectively. The third set posed more of a challenge for the team as they battled back from a first-set loss against the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
The first game against Montana State on Thursday, Sept. 11, was won decisively in three sets (25-14, 25-12, 25-21). With 51 kills across the three sets, the Beavs showed that their powerful offense was no match for the Bobcats.
On Friday, Sept. 12, it was much more of the same. The Beavers once again completed the sweep, this time against the Anteaters. The three sets the Beavers won (25-13, 25-13, 25-21) were in dominant fashion besides set three where UC Irvine kept it close. Another confidence booster for the team, surely, as the win gave the Beavs back-to-back home wins to start the home stand. The game showcased both offensive and defensive superiority.
Saturday, Sept. 13, proved more of a challenge for the otherwise solid squad. After losing the first set to UNLV 18-25, with multiple hitting errors and a low hitting rate of .165, the Beavers had to earn their final victory and ultimately the tournament title. The next three sets (25-20, 25-18, 26-24) were a battle throughout. With multiple ties and lead changes, the Beavers faced a mental and physical challenge. Finally, in a very close game, the Beavers pulled through and were crowned winners of the match and the tournament.
However, the real story of the tournament comes from freshman middle blocker, Alana Marrs. The 6-foot-4 Washington native was a force on the court over the course of the tournament. With five blocks in three sets against Montana State, Marrs certainly made her presence known in her home debut. Her second game was a much more offensive game with 10 kills off 15 total attempts. She once again proved that she was a force to be reckoned with. Her final game was once again a show of her strength. With 11 kills and a .421 hitting percentage, she made her voice known. As the season continues, she will surely be one to watch.
After the final game of the tournament, Marrs talked about the Beavers upcoming game against the Ducks, mentioning the exhibition back on Aug. 23 when they played each other, as well as how they have “learned a lot from this” when talking about the ASICS Invitational.
The Beavers will face off in their first non-tournament game on Thursday, Sept. 18 against their biggest rival, University of Oregon.