University of Oregon
Washington
Deep Ducks Host Top-10 Foes This Weekend
10/06/16 | Women's Volleyball, @GoDucksMoseley
No. 20 Oregon has won 11 straight thanks to a deep, versatile roster, and puts that streak on the line against No. 8 UW on Friday (8 p.m., ESPNU).
EUGENE, Ore. — For as long as he's been coaching and as much success as he's enjoyed, UO volleyball coach Jim Moore hasn't been afraid to experiment, or look outside his program for ideas.
Over the past two years, Moore and his staff recruited two recruiting classes ranked in the top-five nationally. He assembled talent enough to get the Ducks back into NCAA championship contention. Now, he just needed to figure out how to take advantage of all that ability.
By changing up his practice structure and delicately balancing a regular rotation of close to a dozen players, Moore has helped the Ducks win 11 straight matches entering this weekend. Now ranked No. 20 in the nation, they put that streak on the line against No. 8 Washington on Friday (8 p.m. PT, ESPNU), before hosting No. 10 Washington State in Matthew Knight Arena on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The presence of two capable setters, Maggie Scott and August Raskie, has allowed Oregon to employ a 6-2 rotation that guarantees the presence of three hitters on the front line at all times. Moore has employed that system in the past, but never with the talent the Ducks are able to employ thanks to top-rated recruits who are complementing the upperclassmen.
"I've been thinking about it forever," Moore said. "But I've never had the depth to do it like we're doing now."
Through 13 matches, the Ducks (11-2) have nine players with at least 32 kills this season. The Huskies (12-2) and Cougars (14-2, 4-0), for the sake of comparison, have six each.
Sophomore Lindsey Vander Weide leads the Oregon attack with 3.22 kills per set, and since the outset of this season has been the one player who typically doesn't rotate out. As the Ducks approach midseason, freshman Ronika Stone has begun to play herself into a similar position.
But at every other spot, Moore uses his depth to exploit matchups, keep his reserves healthy in case they're needed due to injury, and to stoke the fire of the veterans.
Moore said he learned to appreciate the value of depth in part by watching the UO football program. When the football team's offense integrated an uptempo approach beginning in 2007, tilting time of possession toward the opposition, the defense had to employ a deeper rotation to stay fresh. Moore consulted with football assistants John Neal and Don Pellum about the approach, and is now employing it himself.
"The concept was that, those people that were starters, it scares the crap out of them, because someone else is playing all the time," Moore said. "And the guys who are backups are constantly getting better, because they're getting that experience.'
The benefits go beyond psychology. They're tactical as well.
If the Ducks need a blocking presence on the right side, Moore can call on Kacey Nady; for a more offensive approach, that spot could be filled by Willow Johnson. Ditto in the middle, where Lauren Page's defense is complemented by Sumeet Gill's offense.
The deep rotation does require a delicate balance. Because of the luxury provided by his depth, Moore employs a short leash when players make mistakes; that nearly backfired last week at Arizona, when Moore made a couple of substitutions and the Wildcats threatened to rally back and take the opening set.
"So that's the risk," Moore said. "I've got to be careful."
The rotation has also caused Moore to remake his practice plan. Traditionally, he's had his first-string practice against the second-string; that's impossible when there isn't a first-string or second-string.
For practice, Moore will split the team up differently on different days, so Scott and Raskie can maintain chemistry with all the various hitters. They do so within 5-1 systems, contrary to what the Ducks use in matches — but which has benefits, Moore said.
"If we run out of subs at the end of a set (and must revert from a 6-2 to a 5-1), it's not a big deal to us," Moore said. "We've been running a 5-1 every day. And when we play teams that run a 5-1, we're practicing against it every day."
A year ago, the Ducks practiced in the 6-2, and paid the price at times, Moore said. They've been able to avoid that so far in 2016, thanks to the flexibility of their coach and an uncommonly deep, talented roster.
