University of Oregon
Gonzaga
Ducks Sweep Gonzaga, Streak at Nine
09/15/06 | Women's Volleyball
BOISE, Idaho ? The University of Oregon volleyball team defeated Gonzaga in three games, running its winning streak to nine and matching the school record to start a season established by the 1991 squad.
The Ducks (9-0) put the Zags (4-8) away by scores of 30-17, 30-26 and 30-22, in the opening match of the Boise State Tournament.
“We played better tonight then we did against Portland on Tuesday,” said second-year head coach Jim Moore. “But there is still plenty of room for improvement.”
Efficiency was a key for Oregon as the Ducks hit .312 for the match and got stronger every game. UO hit .286 in the first, .300 in the second and .353 in the third.
Freshman middle blocker Sonja Newcombe posted match highs of 18.0 points and 17 kills while hitting .414, and junior blocker Karen Waddington had 11.0 points and six kills and a career-high nine total blocks.
Senior middle blocker Kristen Bitter also took some pressure off Oregon's outside hitters with 10.0 points on eight kills and four total blocks.
Becky Jones led Gonzaga 9.5 points and nine kills, but also had a match-high eight attack errors.
The Ducks will face host Boise State on Saturday at 5 p.m. (MT) to conclude the tournament. Oregon opens Pac-10 play at home on Thursday, Sept. 21, against UCLA.
"We've got one more match before the start of the Pac-10 season and we need to make the most of it,” Moore said.
QUACK TRACKS: Oregon's record for consecutive wins by NCAA standards is 10, set in 1984 ... the Ducks had a season-low four aces ... the victory was UO's fourth of the three-set variety this season ... SO OH Mira Djuric had career-lows of four kills and 6.5 points, and it was only the second time in 39 matches that she has failed to score less than 10.0 points ... total digs for the match (24) were inaccurate and are being recalculated ... all three setters saw action for Oregon and each recorded at least 12 assists ... the Ducks owned Gonzaga on the day as the UO women's soccer team shut out the Zags, 1-0, on Friday afternoon.
