Oregon State volleyball was active for the second time in three days on Sunday against USC. The Beavers fell to the Women of Troy in three sets. 

After losing the first set 20-25, the Beavers (8-11, 1-7 Pac-12) looked to capitalize on a late five-point lead in the second set, but the lead didn’t prove to be enough and the set was dropped 23-25.

“The second set was actually pretty good, because we started to move our outsides around having them hit more towards the inside,” said head coach Mark Barnard. “We didn’t do it in the first and for some reason went away from it in the third.”

Oregon State couldn’t overcome the effects of an emotional second set and USC made quick work of the Beavers, winning the final set 25-18.

“I think probably our passing broke down and I think everyone was really just coming off of that emotional second set. I think that kinda played a role in it,” said redshirt freshman Lanesha Reagan on the third set breakdown. “We need to be better if we lose that set, and we need to come out in the third set like it never happened.”

Reagan was a bright spot on the court as she compiled 12 kills and 18 digs for her sixth double-double of the season.

“She did another good job, just that last set probably dragged her stats down a little, but still had a major impact for us for the first two sets,” said Barnard.

Junior Mary-Kate Marshall accompanied Reagan with 12 kills of her own marking the 14th time this season she has gone over double-digits kills in a match. Marshall gives credit to her setters for both her’s and Reagan’s success.

Though the match didn’t go as the team planned, they still could pull positives from the loss.

“We are doing really well at serving and we are getting them out of system, so if we get a free ball it’s easier for us to run inside plays and kind of confuse their blockers, so we’re not just hitting on the outside all the time,” said Marshall.

The team was notably without junior middle-blocker Daniela Vargas for both games this weekend. Vargas suffered an undisclosed injury and will be out an indeterminate time.

“A lot,” Reagan said when asked how much the team misses Vargas. “It’s hard, not so much having her gone, but having someone we are used to near the bench.”

The schedule doesn’t do Oregon State any favors as they look to end their losing skid after a short week and play in Boulder against Colorado on Friday.

“We just have to focus really hard this week in practice. It’s a quick turnaround, we only have practice Tuesday and Wednesday,” said Marshall. “I think coming off this emotional loss we just have to kinda reset our minds and just be ready to come into practice full-swinging, everything going on Tuesday.”

The Beavers will enter this week expecting get a win at Colorado, and they are planning on preparing as such. With only 12 games left on the schedule, Oregon State looks to improve.

“We got to keep working on things,” said Barnard. “We get better. We have little steps back, but we just got to keep doing what we’re doing and eventually we will get over a 23-18 lead and actually win a set.”