The Barometer Online

Issue date: 11/29/06 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Andrew Burton Outside hitter Rachel Rourke led the Beavers against UCLA with 12 points on nine kills and three aces Friday night. Rourke, OSU's go-to hitter all year, was named to the Pac-10 All-Freshmen team.

The Beavers played some of their best volleyball of the season in the early going Saturday afternoon, but the effort wasn't enough as Oregon State fell to No. 6 USC in a three games at the Galen Center by scores of 25-30, 15-30 and 15-30.

"The first game was the best passing and hitting we've had in weeks, but after that we couldn't pass again" said head coach Taras Liskevych. "USC is a good, formidable team that has a chance to go a long way in the NCAA Tournament."

OSU was tied at 9-9 when USC put together a string of five straight points behind the serving of Debora Seilhamer. However, the Beavers held close the rest of the way using a back-to-back kills by Lexie Rathgeber and Rachel Rourke followed by a Rathgeber block to pull within 21-23. But OSU could not close the gap falling 25-30.

Oregon State concluded the season with a record of 3-24 overall and 0-18 in the Pac-10, while the Women of Troy improved to 25-4 overall and 14-4 in the conference.

Rourke led the Beavers with eight kills and Rathgeber and Bree Knitter each added 6.5 points. Rathgeber recorded four kills and three total blocks while Knitter had six kills and a block. Jennifer Fitz tallied 14 digs to tie her career high and Kristin Murray added 13 digs.

Junior Asia Kaczor led USC with a match-high 11 kills and Seilhamer finished with 23 digs.

Friday, OSU was beaten by No. 4 UCLA in a three-game match at Pauley Pavilion by scores of 12-30, 15-30 and 26-30.

"It is tough to play when you're not confident," Liskevych said. "But our freshmen, Bree and Lexie played well and Jennifer Fitz played well as our libero. We have nucleus of good players. Now we need to find more and work our tails off … and we will."

Trailing 17-11, the Beavers used a kill by Knitter and back-to-back blocks by Rathgeber and Abby Windell to spark a comeback. Shortly after, kills by Rathgeber and Rachel Rourke followed by Rourke's third ace of the match closed the gap to 25-26. But UCLA's Katie Carter had the answer for the Bruins tallying two kills to end the rally and send UCLA to the victory.

Friday, the end of the season was turned over to the youngsters, but OSU's talented group of freshmen fared no better against one of the top teams in the nation. UCLA, the fourth-ranked team in the country, handled the Beavers easily in the first two games taking advantage of OSU's season-long passing struggles. The Bruins tallied seven aces in the second game and UCLA's Kaitlin Sather finished the match with six of her own.

With the loss the Beavers' record falls to 3-23 overall and 0-17 in the Pac-10, while the Bruins' record improves to 28-3 overall and 14-3 in the conference.

Rourke led the Beavers with 12.0 points on nine kills and three aces. Rathgeber finished with seven total kills and Fitz tallied 12 digs to set the pace for OSU.

- The Daily Barometer

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