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Freshman defensive specialist Betsy Devich has tallied 79 digs on the season, while providing Oregon State with a boost of energy in matches.

Looking for wins in desert

Needing three wins to ensure NCAA Tournament berth Oregon State heads to Arizona schools

By: Casey Grogan

Posted: 11/20/08

A week after being swept the Oregon State volleyball team has re-focused and is headed to the desert for meetings with Arizona State and Arizona.

The Beavers (14-13, 3-11) need two wins to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, and three would almost guarantee a berth in the post-season for the first time since 2001. In order to reach their goal, Oregon State must win a match against a team in Arizona State (12-15, 3-11) that swept them earlier in the season at Legendary Gill Coliseum.

"We try to forget that match," junior setter Camilla Ah-Hoy said. "Ever since that match we have kind of gone down and that shouldn't happen. We have to control what we do on our side and minimize our errors."

Sophomore outside hitter Sarah Reaves, who has terminated 388 balls, leads Arizona State's offensive attack. Senior outside hitter Margie Giordano is second on the Sun Devil roster with 312 kills of her own. Setting things up for the Sun Devil attack has been junior setter Marina Mercer and her 987 assists.

Oregon State's offense will look to minimize errors while attacking sophomore defensive specialist Sarah Johnson and her 384 digs. Up front, freshman middle blocker Sonja Markanovich has a team high 103 blocks and 94 block assists. Reaves leads ASU with 12 block solos at the net.

"We sat down and had a team meeting to talk about what it is going to take to win," freshman defensive specialist Betsy Devich said. "We are going to do everything we need to do to get to our goal."

After their match with Arizona State the Beavers travel to Tucson to take on the Wildcats (14-12, 4-10) of Arizona. Oregon State swept UA in Corvallis in Oct., marking OSU's second straight win over the Wildcats.

Leading the Arizona attack is sophomore outside hitter Tiffany Owens, who recently overtook teammate Whitney Dosty with 253 kills. Setting balls for Owens has been sophomore setter Paige Weber, who has 920 assists and a 61 assist season-high against USC.

Junior libero Alanna Resch has a total of 348 digs on the season, leading the Wildcats while averaging 4.09 digs per set.

Oregon State heads to the desert to put their five set loss to Washington State behind them as the Beavers plan to minimize attack errors. OSU committed 35 attack errors against the Cougars - a stat in which Oregon State has worked at correcting during practice.

"Keep the ball in play," head coach Taras Liskevych said. "I think it has to do with one, the individual hitter but also the quality of the set. If the set puts the hitter in a spot where she can only hit one ball then she is already at a disadvantage. You have to have the ball out by the pin so they can hit line, hit sharp angle and hit seam."

Minimizing her own errors has been junior outside hitter Rachel Rourke, who leads the Pac-10 in kills with 449 while averaging 4.54 per set. Sophomore outside Jill Sawatzky has terminated 295 balls, good for second on the team. Ah-Hoy has set up 1,022 balls for Oregon State, leading the squad in assists.

Senior middle blocker Lauren Rinderknecht leads OSU on the block with 12 block solos, while junior middle blocker Lexie Rathgeber leads the squad in total blocks with 86. Coming up strong in recent matches at the net has been sophomore middle Kiersten Sambrailo.

"She [Sambrailo] has played real well," Liskevych said. "She has to continue to play well. She gives us the opportunity to interchange her with several other people and that is important for us."

In the backcourt senior libero Ashley Evans leads Oregon State with 350 digs. Joining Evans in the backcourt has been Devich, who has 79 digs on the season, but has become a leader on the team with her energy. The freshman spark plug has four service aces and has been crucial in digging as well as setting things up for her teammates.

"It is extremely important to come in energized," Devich said. "It's my job, in fact it's always been my job. If I don't bring spark and energy, it is letting my team down. I am here to keep the team up and help the team out in any way I can."

Oregon State will play Arizona State Friday at 6 p.m. in Tempe before traveling to Tucson for their 11 a.m. meeting with Arizona on Sunday.

Casey Grogan, sports editor

sports@dailybarometer.com