Volleyball looks to turn things around vs. ASU tonight

Oregon State takes on Pac-12 opponent Arizona State tonight at 6 p.m. in Gill Coliseum.

The last time the Beavers (13-13, 3-11 Pac-12) and the Sun Devils (16-11, 5-9) met, Arizona State took the match three sets to none.

The loss to ASU was the beginning of OSU’s six-game losing streak.

“We need to get back into a rhythm,” said senior Megan McBride.

With only six matches remaining in the 2012 season, and three of those remaining six opponents being ranked in the top five nationally, establishing a rhythm is what the Beavers are harping on for tonight’s game against the Sun Devils.

“Blocking and closing sets,” said head coach Taras Liskevych.

“Sticking with our blocking,” McBride added.

Blocking will prove important tonight. Arizona State freshman Macey Gardner leads the Pac-12 in kills with 475 and it will take a combined effort by Oregon State at the net to slow her down.

The Beavers do rank sixth in the conference in blocking, which will play to their advantage.

The Sun Devils are coming off of a loss to No. 5 UCLA, but before that Arizona State managed to upset No. 6 USC, and may still be buzzing from the momentum of defeating a highly-ranked school.

Energy, effort and finishing were the words floating around practice for the Beavers this past week. Oregon State needs to find a way to combine the three to snap its current skid.

Tonight’s game will be aired on the Pac-12 Networks.

Darryl Oliver III, sports reporter
On Twitter @oliver_darryl4
sports@dailybarometer.com