Oct. 20, 2001
CORVALLIS, Ore. -- Oregon State outside hitter Gina Schmidt logged 14 kills and 11 digs to lead the Beavers to a 3-0 victory over the visiting Arizona State Sun Devil volleyball team in Pac-10 volleyball action Friday night in front of 1,307 fans at Gill Coliseum.
The 30-22, 30-21, 30-27 victory lifted the Beavers to 13-4 on the year and a scorching 6-2 mark in Pac-10 play. Oregon State earned its first season sweep of the Sun Devils since 1996 and has won two straight against ASU in Corvallis. The Sun Devils picked up a split on the road (3-0 win over Oregon) and are now 6-10 on the year and 2-7 in Pac-10 play. ASU has lost seven of its last eight matches.
Despite enduring their third three-game loss of the year, the Sun Devils received a solid performance from sophomore outside hitter Kim Mehlhorn (Tempe, Ariz.). Mehlhorn logged her fifth consecutive match with at least double-digits in kills, extending her streak with 10 kills vs. the Beavers. She added 11 digs for her eighth double-double of the year. Sophomore Courtney Blocher had a career-high eight kills and added 10 digs for the Sun Devils.
Outside hitter and 2000 all-Pac-10 performer Schmidt led the Beavers with 14 kills and 11 digs. Early in the first game, the senior from Beaverlodge, Alberta passed the 1,000-dig mark for her career, becoming only the fifth player in Oregon State history to achieve 1,000 kills and digs in a career. Junior middle blocker Michelle Solomon (Billings, Mont.) added her 300th career kills.
The Beavers took control of the first game right from the start, jumping ahead 3-0 and not looking back. Gaining an opening frame30-22 win, the Beavers out-hit the Sun Devils .306 to .171. Schmidt led all players with eight kills, while Coughlin led ASU with five kills.
Arizona State once again tried to play catch-up in the second game, trailing early by as much as 12-5, but couldn't overcome the Beavers to fall in game two 30-21. A dismal .087 attack percentage by the Devils and solid defense by the Beavers helped OSU take the 2-0 lead in the match.
Attempting to extend the match, the Sun Devils just couldn't forge past the strong Beaver defense. Deadlocked through most of the match, OSU pulled away and rode the momentum provided by three consecutive blocks to take a 20-16 lead. Never giving up, the Devils pulled to within one at 20-19 and 27-26, but the Beavers proved to be just too touch and held off the late Sun Devil surge to earn the 30-27 victory.
The Sun Devils will next be in action Tuesday night with their last non-conference match of the year against Northern Arizona. The match with the Lady Lumberjacks is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. at Wells Fargo Arena. ASU will return to Pac-10 action next Thursday and Friday with nationally ranked UCLA and USC.