University of Oregon
UCLA
Ducks Upset No. 9 UCLA in Five
11/13/15 | Women's Volleyball
LOS ANGELES – With its back against the proverbial wall, the Oregon volleyball team notched a crucial five-set upset against No. 9 UCLA, Thursday, winning 17-25, 25-17, 27-25, 23-25, 15-12.
How it Happened: The win was made all the more impressive after falling in the first set, where the Ducks were 2-8 this season battling out of a first-set deficit. Oregon responded quickly by putting pressure on the Bruins with much improved serving and elevated blocking. The Ducks clamped down on a UCLA attack which hit .479 in the first set, but ended at .169 for the match.
Oregon used a 5-0 mid-set run in the second behind the hitting of Frankie Shebby and Martenne Bettendorf to take a 20-12 lead, a margin by which they would finish the set. Bettendorf was Oregon's leading hitter with 15 kills while a pair of sophomores proved to be the most effective. Shebby, a La Mirada, Calif. native, finished with 14 kills on .324 hitting and Taylor Agost continued her hot stretch tallied nine kills and .400 efficiency.
While the Ducks had a cushion in the second, the third set would not come as easy for a team which has struggled closing this season. UCLA tied things up at 23 apiece before the teams traded points to remain tied at 25. The final pair of consecutive points came from the team's leading hitter this season as Bettendorf gave the Oregon set point followed by one of Lindsey Vander Weide's 12 kills on the night to put Oregon up 2-1.
Oregon's fourth-set rally from 23-21 fell short at 25-23, leading to the sixth five-set match this season. A 6-2 run gave Oregon set point at 14-8 and while it took the Ducks a few tries, they celebrated with a 15-12 victory.
What it Means: The marquee win is one Oregon has been searching for all season and it could not have come at a better time. Oregon finishes the season with a road record of 9-6 and will now return for its last four matches at Matthew Knight Arena. While the victory will carry its weight with the NCAA selection committee, the Ducks will still need to take care of business with two more wins to remain postseason eligible.
Upset Special: The win is Oregon's first against a team ranked in the AVCA top 25 this season and the first against a top-10 team since the Ducks defeated No. 1 Penn State in the 2012 NCAA Tournament.
Notes and Numbers: Lindsey Vander Weide (12 kills, 11 digs) and Maggie Scott (35 assists, 11 digs) finished with their sixth and eighth double-doubles of the season, respectively…Lauren Page tied a career high with six blocks…Taylor Agost has now hit better than .300 in five of the last six matches…Oregon's six five-set matches is the most since 2011 (7).
What's Next: Oregon will return home for its final four matches, beginning with Washington State, Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 7:30 p.m.
