Nov. 26, 2010

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PULLMAN, Wash. -- The Washington State volleyball team (6-21 overall, 0-17 Pac-10) dropped a five-set match to Oregon State (9-22, 2-15) Friday night in Bohler Gym.

Jill Sawatzky's 20 kills and 16 digs led the Beavers to a 25-27, 29-27, 25-17, 22-25, and 15-11 victory. Mona Kressl, Dre Shaw and Ashley Eneliko combined for another 33 kills with Alyssa O'Neil and Becky Defoe combining for 25 more digs. Megan McBride had 53 assists while Shaw and Eneliko each had five blocks for OSU.

Marcelina Glab, Meagan Ganzer and Brittany Tillman each had 14 kills. Tillman led the match with a season-high eight blocks, including three solo blocks that put her career total at 49 and tied with former teammate Cassie Robbins for 10th-best in school history. Sara Biondi had 51 assists and Oceana Bush led the match with 17 digs.

Led by the six error-free attacks from Glab, WSU came from behind to win the first set 27-25. Conley Kipp's attack touched the baseline to tie the set at 21 for the first of six ties. The next six Cougar points came as Glab landed two of her attacks, OSU committed two errant attacks, Tillman and Rachel Todorovich combined on a huge block, and Todorovich slammed home the final point. WSU hit .256 and had five blocks in the opener.

OSU took an 18-12 second set lead and extended it to 23-20 before WSU battled back and tied the set at 24. The Beavs erred on the next attack and WSU returned the favor. The teams repeated that same scenario two more times to tie at 26 and 27 points. Kressl landed an attack and then teamed with Shaw on a block to hand the visitors the 29-27 set win.

Oregon State carried the momentum of the second set into the third 18-9 lead and fought off a late Cougar charge to take a 25-17 win. OSU hit .407 in this set.

The fourth set found WSU coming from behind to tie the set at 15 and again at 16 before taking the lead on a Ganzer slam. The teams tied again for the next two points. WSU took an 19-18 lead on Kipp block and did not look back. OSU stopped on set point with a kill by Eneliko but Sawatzky served into the net to hand WSU the 25-22 set win and force a fifth set.

There were eight ties and three lead changes in the fifth set with the Cougars' leads at 1-0 and 4-2. WSU tied the set at 10 and again at 11 points. Sawatzky had three kills and Tami Brown, seeing action in the match for only the final three points, served an ace. The Beavers capture the fifth set 15-11 and the match 3-2.

Washington State completes the 2010 season with a match against No. 24 Oregon (18-11, 6-11) Saturday, Nov. 27, at 7 p.m. The Ducks lost at No. 13 Washington 25-20, 25-20, 25-10 Friday night.