Arizona sweeps Oregon.

Byline: The Register-Guard

With starting setter Jodi Bell out with an injury, freshman Heather Madison stepped in and gave a strong performance, but Arizona prevailed over the University of Oregon in a Pac-10 Conference volleyball match Thursday at McArthur Court, 30-22, 30-20, 30-26.

Madison, who got her first start of the season after Bell sprained ligaments in her right knee in a match last weekend, finished with 28 assists and added three kills, two aces and two digs.

`I thought Heather played very well considering what a difficult situation she walked into,' Oregon coach Carl Ferreira said. `We're still going to have some adjustments, but I thought we finished the match better than we started, and I'm looking forward to playing tomorrow.'

The Ducks (3-21, 0-15) host Arizona State today at 7 p.m.

`I was nervous in the beginning,' Madison said. `But I'm not intimidated by any player or any team, and once I got in the groove it felt good. It felt good to be intense and play like I used to.'

REGIONAL ROUNDUP

Freshman Sarah Mason had 11 points and junior Jaclyn Jones added 9 1/2 for Oregon. Defensively, junior Katie O'Neil led the Ducks with seven digs.

Arizona (13-13, 7-8) was led by Jennifer Abernathy's 18 kills and 10 digs.

OSU volleyball sweeps

Arizona State

CORVALLIS - Oregon Sate kept its postseason hopes alive with a sweep of Arizona State in a Pac-10 Conference volleyball match Thursday, 30-27, 30-16, 30-23.

With five matches left in the season, the Beavers (15-12, 5-10) need to win at least twice to be considered for a possible at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Laura Collins led Oregon State with 43 assists as the Beavers hit .311, their best performance against a Pac-10 opponent this season.

The Sun Devils (8-16, 3-12), who lead the Pac-10 in aces per game, did not have any aces Thursday.

UO volleyball inks pair

to boost veteran team

The University of Oregon volleyball team signed two prep players who will join a squad that will not lose anyone to graduation this year.

Justine Petry of Trumansburg, N.Y., and Karen Waddington of Langley, B.C., will join the Ducks next fall, Oregon coach Carl Ferreira announced Thursday.

"We will instantly be playing at a higher level when we begin play next season based on our maturity level and strength," Ferreira said.

Petry was a first-team Class C all-state selection in 2002, and Waddington was a 3A all-star as her team finished second in the Provincial Championships in 2002.

OSU volleyball players 

earn academic honors

CORVALLIS - Two Oregon State volleyball players were among the athletes named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District VIII team Thursday.

Senior K.C. Frederic was a second-team selection, and junior Allison Lawrence was on the third team.

Jones signs to play

basketball at OSU

CORVALLIS - As expected, Marcel Jones, a 6-foot-7 guard from Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif., signed a letter of intent to play men's basketball at Oregon State, Beavers coach Jay John announced Thursday.

Jones averaged 10.8 points and 5.3 rebounds as a junior last season. He played on a team that finished with a 35-2 record and won the California Interscholastic Federation title.

"We entered the recruiting period wanting to get a big wing player with a tremendous amount of skill," John said. "We've done that with Marcel Jones."

Oregon State does not expect to sign any other players during the early signing period that lasts through Wednesday.

Pair of UO football players earn academic recognition

Two Oregon football players were named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District VIII football team Thursday.

Junior kicker Jared Siegel has a 3.58 grade-point average with a major in business administration, and senior offensive lineman Dan Weaver has a 3.28 GPA with a major in accounting.

Oregon State junior offensive lineman and psychology major Matt Brock was also named to the first team with a 3.37 GPA.

Oregon State senior kicker Kirk Ylniemi was named to the second team, along with UCLA sophomore running back J.D. Groves of Keizer and Portland State junior offensive lineman Mike Stachowiak, a product of Marist High School.

Garbin, Baker named to

all-Pac-10 second team

Sophomore midfielder Nicole Garbin of Oregon and sophomore forward Tessa Baker of Oregon State were named to the Pac-10 women's soccer all-conference second team Thursday.

Garbin finished with seven goals and seven assists on the season. Baker tied for second in the Pac-10 with 11 goals.

OSU sophomore forward Stacey Mascher was honorable mention.

UO men's golf signs pair from Southern California

The University of Oregon men's golf team went to Southern California to find this year's recruits.

Derek Sipe of Yorba Linda, Calif., ranked as the ninth-best junior golfer in the nation by the National Junior Golf Scoreboard, and Joey Bendetti of Huntington Beach, Calif., have signed letters of intent to play at Oregon next fall, UO coach Steve Nosler announced Thursday.

Sipe has 25 career tournament wins on the Southern California PGA Junior Tour, and Bendetti is a three-time all-league first team member in the Sunset League.

OSU men's golf signs

Portland prep player

CORVALLIS - Vincent Johnson of David Douglas High School in Portland has signed a letter of intent to play for the Oregon State men's golf team, OSU coach Brian Watts announced Thursday.

Johnson is a two-time all-state golfer who will begin his OSU career next fall.

OSU gymnastics

signs four athletes

CORVALLIS - Four gymnasts who placed in the top 15 in their respective all-around divisions at the 2003 Junior Olympic National Championships have signed letters of intent to compete at Oregon State, OSU coach Tanya Chaplin announced Thursday.

The prep athletes who signed are Courtney Dennison of Tucson, Ariz.; Yuki Lamb of Knoxville, Tenn.; Claire Pierce of Livermore, Calif.; and Jeanine Ruby of San Dimas, Calif.