Oregon State volleyball swept the University of the Pacific in straight sets on Sunday afternoon, taking the match 25–12, 25–12, 25–20 at Gill Coliseum.
OSU opened the first set with confidence, moving quickly into a rhythm behind the arm of redshirt freshman opposite Bridget Gould. Gould finished the match with 10 kills and a .438 hitting percentage, punishing Pacific whenever she was set. Freshman middle blocker Alana Marrs added a strong performance with eight kills on .500 hitting, including the final point of the afternoon with a solo block that sealed the sweep.
The Beavers offense looked balanced throughout the match, with Lauren Rumel provided seven kills on .333 hitting, while Annika Hester and Maeli Cormier chipped in five apiece. Setters Emma Lilo and Jackie Matias combined for 30 assists, consistently putting their hitters in favorable positions. OSU as a team hit .373 with just eight attack errors, the least in any match played this season.
Meanwhile, Pacific never found its footing. The Tigers hit only .052 as a team and were forced into 25 attack errors under heavy pressure from the Beavers front line. Outside hitter Olivia Keller led Pacific with seven kills, but finished with more errors than kills, ending with a -.077 hitting percentage. Setter Alyson Cox recorded 23 assists, but struggled to establish consistent rhythm against Oregon State’s block.
The second set looked much like the first, as OSU again held Pacific to just 12 points. With the Beavers serving tough and passing well, the Tigers were frequently pushed off the net and into low-percentage swings.
In the third set, Pacific showed more fight, staying within reach until late, but OSU’s composure held. With the crowd rising in anticipation, Marrs’ block closed the door and kept the Tigers from forcing extra points.
After the game, Gayoon Cho, a student at Oregon State, expressed her heartfelt joy. “The Beavers are performing so well this season that I come to every home game, and they always make me happy,” she said. “Even when we lost to the Ducks, it was such a close match that I wasn’t disappointed. I wish them luck in their next match, and I truly believe the trophy is coming home this season. Go Beavs!”
Defense played just as large a role as the offense in the Beavers victory. OSU tallied 34 digs and 10 blocks, with Marrs and Nathalie Scholz anchoring the net while libero Alondra Paz stabilizing the back row. That effort limited Pacific to no more than 20 points in a single set and never allowed momentum to swing away from the home team.
With the win, Oregon State becomes one of four teams to remain undefeated in WCC play, and are tied for second overall with Washington State University. The quick sweep also gave the team an energy boost before they face tougher challenges on the conference schedule.
Oregon State will return to action on Oct. 2 vs Santa Clara on the road, and return to Gill Coliseum on Oct. 9 to face off against future Pac-12 member Gonzaga University.
