TUCSON, Ariz. -- Arizona volleyball won the first two sets on Friday night vs. Oregon State, but dropped the final three sets in a heartbreaking five-set loss (13-25, 20-25, 26-24, 25-23, 15-13).

The Wildcats dominated the first two sets, hitting .320 or better in both of them and winning by a combined 17 points, but then fell by the minimum two points in the third, fourth and fifth sets in the loss.

In the third set, Arizona was two points away from the sweep, leading Oregon State 23-21, riding the momentum of a 4-0 run and appearing to be closing in on a straight-set victory. Instead, Oregon State stormed back to score five of the final six points in the frame to steal the set and take over the momentum in the match.

After posting a season-high 84 digs on Sunday at Washington, Arizona was strong defensively once again on Friday, recording 74 digs, including monster matches from Kamaile Hiapo (21 digs), Emi Pua'a (17 digs) and Julia Patterson (15 digs). Patterson paired her 15 digs with a season-high 49 assists and a career-most eight kills on .615 hitting, coming two kills shy of her first career triple-double. The double-double was No. 10 on the season and No. 41 in her career.

Katie Smoot led the Wildcats offensively; the junior had a season-most 19 kills on Friday. Paige Whipple finished with 16 while Devyn Cross, who led the Cats with seven blocks defensively, had 11 kills on .364 hitting.

Arizona dropped to 11-10, 1-8 Pac-12 on the season while Oregon State improved to 9-11, 3-6 Pac-12. The Wildcats turn their attention to Oregon, which comes to McKale Center on Sunday at noon.  

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