Loyola Marymount Downs Beavers, 3-2

The Beavers (7-4) ended their four-match winning streak.

Photo courtesy: OSU Athletics

Stockton, Calif. - Oregon State endured its fourth five-game match of the season in the team’s 3-2 loss to Loyola Marymount (30-24, 21-30, 30-28, 30-23, 13-15) Friday evening at the ASICS Invitational hosted by the University of the Pacific.

The Beavers (7-4) ended their four-match winning streak, the longest thus far under head coach Taras Liskevych.

The Lions’s overall record now stands at 7-5.

Sophomore Rachel Rourke had a team-high 24 kills, while freshman Jill Sawatzky also hit double digits with 16.

Sophomore Bree Knitter had an impressive serving game for the second straight match giving the Lions a fit in game one, putting the Beavers up 21-13 after 12 straight jump serves.

Knitter set a new career high with three service aces in the match, all coming in the stretch.

Knitter also posted two block solos and 10 block assists on the night.

Oregon State continued the lead into game two with Loyola Marymount hanging around before a pair of short runs by the Lions put LMU ahead for the rest of the game.

Back-to-back kills by Lexie Rathgeber and a kill by Sawatzky put the Beavers within nine, but Emily Day’s 11th kill of the match sealed the game for the Lions.

The Beavers didn’t let up in the third game giving the team a 2-1 advantage when a kill by Rourke tied things up at 28-28 before another Rourke kill and an attack error by Loyola Marymount secured the win and the lead for Oregon State going into game four.

In game five, Oregon State looked to have things wrapped up until Loyola Marymount caught up with the team at 13-13.

But an attack error and a service ace closed the match out with the Beavers just falling short.

Junior libero Ashley Evans set a new career high, leading the team with 25 digs.

Junior Jennifer Fitz and Rourke also added 12 each.

Emily Day led the Lions with 28 kills, and Heather Hughes added 27.

Setter Renee Horton directed the Loyola Marymount offense with 74 assists.

Oregon State wraps up the ASICS Invitational, and the team’s non-conference schedule, against host Pacific at 7:00 p.m. Saturday evening.

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