Nov. 17, 2010

Complete Release in PDF Format

LOOKING AHEAD — Oregon State (8-20, 1-13 Pac-10) hosts No. 6 USC (22-4, 11-4 Pac-10) and No. 10 UCLA (19-7, 9-6 Pac-10) for its final home weekend. Following Sunday’s match against the Bruins, the three seniors - Kaitlan Locke, Kiersten Sambrailo and Jill Sawatzky - will be honored. Match times are 7:00 p.m. against the Women of Troy on Friday and 12:00 p.m. against the Bruins on Sunday.

Also on Sunday, fans who bring their tickets for the Nike N7 men’s basketball game against Texas Southern will receive half-price admission to the volleyball match and a free Nike N7 t-shirt.

TRACKING THE BEAVS — Full results from this week’s matches can be found through osubeavers. com. Gametracker is available this week and all home matches will also be streamed live through osubeavers.com for free. And as always, for in-match updates, follow Beavsvolleyball on Twitter.

MATCH 29: NO. 6 USC — Friday, Nov. 19 (7:00 p.m.): Oregon State is 8-41 all-time against USC. The Women of Troy have won the last four meetings.

USC wrapped up its home schedule with wins over No. 20 Arizona and Arizona State last weekend after splitting in the Bay Area the previous week. Junior outside hitter Alex Jupiter continues to pace the Women of Troy offense with 402 kills (4.47 kps) with a team-high 34 aces and the second-most digs (226 - 2.51 dps) behind freshman libero Natalie Hagglund, who has 372 (3.96 dps). Jupiter is also second on the team for blocks with 61 (0.68 bps) behind junior middle blocker Lauren Williams, who has 79, averaging 0.90 blocks per set.  Williams also currently leads the conference in hitting percentage (.419) with 202 kills on 391 attacks. Junior setter Kendall Bateman averages 12.40 assists per set to top the conference in that category with 1,190 total assists. USC is 6-3 on the road this season overall, 3-3 in conference play.

UCLA picked up wins at home over the Arizona schools last weekend, ending a two-match skid after falling in the Bay Area the previous weekend. Senior outside hitter Dicey McGraw leads all Bruin hitters with 352 kills (3.78 kps), adding 141 digs (1.52 dps) and 39 blocks (0.42 bps). Sophomore opposite hitter Rachael Kidder is close behind with 311 kills (3.49 kps) with the second-most blocks (55 - 0.62 bps). Junior libero Lainey Gera, the reigining Pac-10 Player of the Week, posts the most digs in the conference with 455 (4.84 dps), while junior setter Lauren Van Orden is fifth for assists with 973 (11.45 aps) and racking up a team-high 22 aces. The Bruins are 6-6 away from Pauley Pavilion this season, 2-5 in conference play.

ODDS & ENDS — The Pac-10 Conference is celebrating its 25th year of volleyball. The conference expanded to include women’s competition in 1986-87 in 10 sports. The Pac-10 now sponsors both 11 men’s and women’s sports.

Senior Jill Sawatzky has been named to each of the four tournament teams so far this season. She was the lone member of the Corvallis Invitational with sophomore Megan McBride joining her at the Active Ankle Challenge. Freshman Mona Kressl was also named to the All-Tournament team with Sawatzky at the Holiday Inn Classic. And she rounded out the tournament run by being the only Oregon State player named to the Aggie Invitational All- Tournament Team.

Senior Jill Sawatzky was this year’s first Everyday Champion for volleyball. Sawatzky excels in the classroom with a near 4.00 GPA, while also being a top contender in the court, ranking in the top 10 in the conference for a number of categories. She is a business major with an option in marketing.

Oregon State was proud to host its annual Spike Out Cancer on Friday, Oct. 8, as it hosts Arizona at 7:00 p.m. Admission to the event was only $1, and part of the proceeds from the sale of mini pink volleyballs, pink backpacks and pink pins will go to the Corvallis Clinic’s Project H.E.R. Volleyballs are $10, backpacks are $8 and pins are $5. The event alone raised over $330, but all of the items are still available for purchase throughout the 2010 season.

Senior Kiersten Sambrailo was the second Everyday Champion for volleyball. Sambrailo, a business major, has battled injuries through her four-year career and is a team captain this season. Despite injuries, she’s one of the best blockers in school history.

BEST IN CLASS — Senior Jill Sawatzky is currently third all-time for seniors for most kills in a single season with 416 so far this season. Rachel Rourke set the record with 531 just one season ago. Sawatzky is also currently fourth for attacks (1,163) and fifth points (485.0). Freshman Mona Kressl set the record for most block assists all-time for a freshman against No. 23 Oregon with 102, and she is fourth for a freshman in total blocks with 121. And sophomore Megan McBride has the fifth-most assists for her class in school history with 947.

RANKING AT THE TOP — Oregon State ranks in the top 50 nationally in one category. The Beavers are 26th for blocks per set (2.58) this week nationally. Individually, senior Jill Sawatzky is 40th for points per set (4.49).

CLIMBING THE CAREER LISTS — Senior Jill Sawatzky is quickly climbing up the career lists ranking in the top 10 for kills (fourth - 1,435), kills per set (eighth - 3.28), attacks (fourth - 4,144) and total points (fourth - 1,638.5). Sophomore Megan McBride is now ninth all time with 1,054 career assists.

CONFERENCE CAREER BEST — Senior Jill Sawatzky is ranked in the top 10 in four Pac-10 active career top 10 lists. Sawatzky is fourth for kills (1,435) behind Alix Klineman of Stanford, Sarah Reaves of Arizona State and Tiffany Owens of Arizona. She’s also eighth for digs (891) and ninth for service aces (68). Sophomore Megan McBride is currently eighth for assists with 1,054.

SAWATZKY SUCCEEDS IN SCHOOL — Senior Jill Sawatzky was named to the ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-District 8 First Team, making her eligible for Academic All-America honors. This is Sawatzky’s first district honor, and she’s the first Oregon State honoree since 2003.

3-2-10? — Sophomore Megan McBride chalked up her first career triple-double at Portland State on Tuesday, Aug. 31, with 10 kills, 45 assists and 19 digs. All three categories also marked career bests for the left-handed setter at that point in the season. McBride’s triple-double is the first since October 18, 1997, when Magan Prieto had 11 kills, 10 digs and 10 blocks.

JILL WITH THE KILL SAWATZKY — Senior outside hitter Jill Sawatzky returns as the only player who has started every year of her career. Sawatzky has amassed 1,019 kills prior to the start of the 2010 season, becoming the 12th player ever to reach 1,000. Honing her defensive skills, Sawatzky is primed to have a strong final season, emerging as the top all-around player on the squad.

SAMBRAILO STUFFS — Senior Kiersten Sambrailo was held off the court for part of last season due to injuries, but she still managed to rank seventh all-time for the most blocks per set by a junior (1.23), joining school record holding names like Tanya Lifa and Staci Hintze. Continuing to perfect her offensive game in front and behind the setter will make Kiersten the perfect all-around threat at the net.

ASHLEY AVAILABLE AT ANY POSITION — Sophomore Ashley Eneliko is open to any position at the net after spending her freshman season as a middle blocker. The only rookie to be named to the Pac-10 All-Freshman Team, earning honorable mention status, Eneliko filled in for the injured Kiersten Sambrailo to average 1.00 blocks per set, helping the Beavers to rank second in the Pac-10 in stops at the net. This season, Eneliko will be seen mainly at opposite, but she can transition to any of the three offensive spots.

BROWN CONTINUES BALLIN — Sophomore Tami Brown was a three-sport athlete in high school (volleyball, basketball and softball), but after excelling in basketball - a McDonalds All-America nominee - chose to focus on volleyball post-high school. Used mostly as a serving specialist while developing her game at middle blocker as a freshman, Brown is prepped to be one of the Beavers starting fixtures at the net this season.

O’NEIL ON TOP OF HER GAME — Sophomore Alyssa O’Neil immediately made an impact in her rookie season, averaging 2.59 digs per set in her role as defensive specialist in the always tough Pac-10 Conference. She appeared in a number of matches as libero, and frustrated the opponent’s serve-receive with her lofty jump float serve. She returns for the 2010 season as the top defensive player in the backcourt.

LISKEVYCH LIKES THE FIRST ONE — The Beavers are 5-1 in season openers under head coach Taras Liskevych. Oregon State swept Portland it its season opener in Liskevych’s first season, won in four over Oral Roberts in 2006, took a five-set thriller from Colorado State in year three, swept Wyoming at home in 2008 and defeated Cal Poly in four in last year’s inaugural match. 

NINE NEWCOMERS — The Oregon State volleyball family welcomes nine newcomers to its 2010 squad, making it the largest recruiting class in the Liskevych Era. Among the nine are seven freshmen, a sophomore and a junior. Junior outside hitter Dre Shaw joins the Beavers after earning success at two different schools, including AVCA and NJCAA All- America status. Sophomore Martie Massey attended Oregon State for a year, competing on the school’s club team before joining the team last spring. Freshmen Becky Defoe and Kelsey Zimmerman both greenshirted last season with Zimmerman joining the team in the winter and Defoe in the spring. Zimmerman became the first Fab 50 recruit in school history. Freshman Mona Kressl competed in the competitive Bundesliga in Germany before joining the Beavers, while freshman Natalie Morgan comes from Santa Cruz, but is currently nursing an ankle injury back to 100 percent. Freshmen Allie Rogers and Laura Schaudt chose to focus primarily on volleyball late in their careers, while freshman Tayla Woods competed at nearby Santiam Christian in volleyball and basketball all four years. All three are scheduled to redshirt to give them more time at the Division I level. Schaudt is a legacy to Oregon State after mom, Carol Menken-Schaudt, was an All-American for the Beavers in basketball.

ATTENDANCE AVERAGE — Oregon State finished the 2009 season ranked 26th in the nation for attendance, averaging 1,436 in its 12 home matches. The Beavers were third in the conference behind No. 5 Washington and No. 11 Stanford.

GET YOUR TICKETS — Season tickets are on sale now for the 2010 Oregon State volleyball season. The adult price is $80 and the youth/senior price is $50 for all 15 home matches, including all of the tough Pac-10 schedule. Tickets can be purchased by calling 1-800-GOBEAVS or by visiting osubeavers. com.

CAN’T MAKE IT TO A MATCH? — Oregon State will be televised once this season at home. The Civil War in legendary Gill Coliseum on Friday, Nov. 12 will be show by FSN via tape delay.

All home matches will be web cast for free through Beaver Nation Online (BNO), the audio/visual service of osubeavers.com.

OREGON STATE VS. THE RANKED — Oregon State will face eight preseason top 25 opponents with seven of those being in the always tough Pac-10 Conference. The eighth team is No 12 Michigan, who the Beavers swept last season in Ann Arbor to snap a 52-match non-conference winning streak. Three conference teams are ranked in the top 10 with Stanford leading the way sitting in fourth place.

PAC-10 PRESEASON POLL — The Beavers were voted to finish 10th in the Pac-10 Preseason Volleyball Poll with 11 total points. Stanford was voted to finish first receiving six first place votes and 77 total points.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE BEAVERS — Oregon State heads to Washington State and No. 11 Washington to close out the 2010 season. Both matches are scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m.

Support Oregon State University Athletics by making your tax deductible donation to the Beaver Athletic Student Fund.  For more information follow this link or call 541-737-2370.  You can make an “everyday champion.”  Follow Beaver Athletics on twitter.