University of Oregon
5-0
George Washington
1-3
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 20 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 15 | 3 |
| George Washington | 25 | 25 | 16 | 15 | 11 | 2 |
Volleyball Triumphs in Comeback over George Washington
09/02/15 | Women's Volleyball
WASHINGTON D.C. ? In the face of adversity, the No. 11 Oregon volleyball team passed an early season test, Tuesday night, coming back from two sets down to defeat George Washington in front of a hostile crowd at the Smith Center, 20-25, 22-25, 25-16, 25-15, 15-11.
How it Happened: Oregon (4-0) was hitting just over the .300 mark as a team entering the match, but George Washington's strong play at the net early on created nine blocks in the first two sets, holding Oregon's hitters at bay. Behind the stingy defense and a strong middle attack, the Colonials entered the intermission with a two-set lead. Having dropped only one of its previous 13 sets, and yet to trail by a set this season, the Ducks found themselves in unfamiliar territory.
When the Ducks returned to the floor for the third set, they wasted no time in jumping to an 8-3 lead before George Washington was forced to call a timeout. Oregon would not turn back and remained the aggressor all the way to the final point.
Both offensively and defensively, Oregon was an improved team after the second set. After hitting just .087 in the first two sets, the Ducks closed with a .387 in the second half of the match. Those numbers resembled the turnaround of Martenne Bettendorf and Lindsey Vander Weide, and it was Vander Weide who notched 13 of her team-high 15 kills during the team's comeback while committing only two errors. On the defensive side, it was Kacey Nady who led the team in blocking once again led the team in blocking and was a part of four of Oregon's seven blocks in the fourth set. Meanwhile Amanda Benson continued what has been a stellar season and recorded a season high 26 digs.
The fourth set was a carbon copy of the third with Oregon out front early and not letting up. In the deciding fifth set, the Colonials pulled within a point at 10-11, but a kill by Taylor Agost and a block from Vander Weide and Nady put the Ducks back on track to finish the match and move to 5-0 for the season.
What it Means: Coach Moore praised his team for the way they responded down two sets in front of rowdy student section. Moore and the Ducks know that the Pac-12 season, as well as matches against Florida and Nebraska, will be challenging, offering similar situations as Tuesday night. With two freshman playing important roles in the Oregon lineup, the win should give the Ducks a dose of both confidence and experience moving forward.
Notes and Numbers: The comeback from 0-2 is Oregon's first since Nov. 2, 2013 when the Ducks rallied to defeat UCLA in five sets in Los Angeles....After a stellar night at LIU Brooklyn, Taylor Agost continued her hot hitting with nine kills and a .389 hitting mark....Lindsey Vander Weide (15), Martenne Bettendorf (13) and Kacey Nady each finished the night with double-digit kills...Maggie Scott finished the night with 48 assists while adding five aces.
What's Next: Oregon will travel to Austin Texas for matches against Florida and Nebraska, a pair of team who are tied at No. 4 in the AVCA Coaches' Poll. The Ducks will play Florida, Friday at 1 p.m. CT and Nebraska, Saturday at 3 p.m. CT. Both matches will be televised on the longhorn network.
Amanda Benson finished the night with 26 digs as Oregon rallied to defeat George Washington in five sets. Here she is after the match:
Posted by University of Oregon Volleyball on Tuesday, September 1, 2015
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