Photo by: Samuel Marshall
Vander Weide Ready For MKA Swan Song
11/28/18 | Women's Volleyball, @GoDucksMoseley
Oregon volleyball's do-everything senior leads the Ducks into NCAA Tournament play in Matthew Knight Arena on Thursday.
Lindsey Vander Weide is back where she belongs.
Back dominating as a six-rotation player for the Oregon volleyball team. Back on the Pac-12 all-conference team, after a junior season spoiled by knee problems. And back in Matthew Knight Arena, one last weekend, when the Ducks host NCAA Tournament play Thursday and Friday.
A third-team all-American as a sophomore in 2016, Vander Weide couldn't play to that level while injured last fall. She came into this season determined to make the final chapter in her UO career a triumphant one, and she followed through by helping the 15th-seeded Ducks earn the right to host postseason play, with their first-round match to be played Thursday against New Mexico State (7 p.m., Pac-12 Oregon).
"Lindsey's playing her best volleyball, and I don't think there's any question about that," UO coach Matt Ulmer said. "She's going to bring it."
Vander Weide has been Oregon's Swiss Army knife for the last four years — the right woman for any job the Ducks require. The left arm of Willow Johnson, the imposing blocking of Ronika Stone, the cat-like quickness of Brooke Nuneviller may be flashier, but Vander Weide's sublime ability to impact every facet of the game makes her one of the best players in UO history — one of just five with 1,000 career kills and digs, and fourth all-time with 1,615.5 points.
"It's amazing to watch, and be able to witness," Stone said of Vander Weide's versatility. "She might not be hitting well (in a particular match), but then she's having over 15 digs, or blocking well. She's a really unique player. She does everything for us — and we put a lot of pressure on her. But she handles it well."
A year ago, Vander Weide struggled to do so, through no fault of her own. An integral element of Oregon's serve receive and passing game, Vander Weide couldn't cover as much court due to the knee injury.
The Ducks' defense suffered, and she felt responsible.
This season, the emergence of Nuneviller at libero plus help from fellow six-rotation players Taylor Borup and Brooke Van Sickle has eased the burden on Vander Weide. And the knee problems are no more.
"It just feels great to be healthy," Vander Weide said. "I just feel like I can play so much more free. Last year I just was always thinking about my knee. This year I can think about my game instead."
With freedom of movement has come freedom to cut loose and play at a dominant level. The fruits of that are evident in numbers: Vander Weide leads Oregon with 3.97 points, 3.45 kills and 2.98 digs per set. That level of play earned her a spot back on the all-Pac-12 first team, an honor Vander Weide earned as a freshman and sophomore before being relegated to honorable mention by the knee injury last fall.
"I know as an athlete how frustrating it can be when you know you're capable of something but you can't," Stone said. "This year she's just been a monster for us, and she just keeps getting better each game. This is the right time for her to peak — and for all of us to peak. It's tournament time, so it's time for us to go for it. And why not? Why not just kill it?"
Hosting the tournament allows Vander Weide and her fellow seniors a chance for redemption. Oregon's regular-season home finale was a five-set loss to Colorado on Nov. 16. At the time, that result seemed to torpedo the Ducks' hopes of hosting the postseason.
If that was to be Vander Weide's swan song at Matthew Knight Arena, it was a heartbreaking way to say goodbye.
But the Ducks rallied back to win at No. 19 Washington and then Oregon State last week. That, combined with other results around the country, got Oregon back in position to host this weekend, a pod that also includes Hawai'i and Baylor, who face off Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
And it got Vander Weide one more chance to finish her career at Oregon on her terms.
"Senior night didn't end how we hoped," said Ulmer, who predicts Vander Weide will go on to be a "six-rotation hammer" as both a U.S. national team player and a professional in Europe once Oregon's postseason run is over.
"Now we get another chance at that. We can rewrite the story, and make it a little better."
Back dominating as a six-rotation player for the Oregon volleyball team. Back on the Pac-12 all-conference team, after a junior season spoiled by knee problems. And back in Matthew Knight Arena, one last weekend, when the Ducks host NCAA Tournament play Thursday and Friday.
A third-team all-American as a sophomore in 2016, Vander Weide couldn't play to that level while injured last fall. She came into this season determined to make the final chapter in her UO career a triumphant one, and she followed through by helping the 15th-seeded Ducks earn the right to host postseason play, with their first-round match to be played Thursday against New Mexico State (7 p.m., Pac-12 Oregon).
"Lindsey's playing her best volleyball, and I don't think there's any question about that," UO coach Matt Ulmer said. "She's going to bring it."
Vander Weide has been Oregon's Swiss Army knife for the last four years — the right woman for any job the Ducks require. The left arm of Willow Johnson, the imposing blocking of Ronika Stone, the cat-like quickness of Brooke Nuneviller may be flashier, but Vander Weide's sublime ability to impact every facet of the game makes her one of the best players in UO history — one of just five with 1,000 career kills and digs, and fourth all-time with 1,615.5 points.
"It's amazing to watch, and be able to witness," Stone said of Vander Weide's versatility. "She might not be hitting well (in a particular match), but then she's having over 15 digs, or blocking well. She's a really unique player. She does everything for us — and we put a lot of pressure on her. But she handles it well."
A year ago, Vander Weide struggled to do so, through no fault of her own. An integral element of Oregon's serve receive and passing game, Vander Weide couldn't cover as much court due to the knee injury.
The Ducks' defense suffered, and she felt responsible.
This season, the emergence of Nuneviller at libero plus help from fellow six-rotation players Taylor Borup and Brooke Van Sickle has eased the burden on Vander Weide. And the knee problems are no more.
"It just feels great to be healthy," Vander Weide said. "I just feel like I can play so much more free. Last year I just was always thinking about my knee. This year I can think about my game instead."
With freedom of movement has come freedom to cut loose and play at a dominant level. The fruits of that are evident in numbers: Vander Weide leads Oregon with 3.97 points, 3.45 kills and 2.98 digs per set. That level of play earned her a spot back on the all-Pac-12 first team, an honor Vander Weide earned as a freshman and sophomore before being relegated to honorable mention by the knee injury last fall.
"I know as an athlete how frustrating it can be when you know you're capable of something but you can't," Stone said. "This year she's just been a monster for us, and she just keeps getting better each game. This is the right time for her to peak — and for all of us to peak. It's tournament time, so it's time for us to go for it. And why not? Why not just kill it?"
Hosting the tournament allows Vander Weide and her fellow seniors a chance for redemption. Oregon's regular-season home finale was a five-set loss to Colorado on Nov. 16. At the time, that result seemed to torpedo the Ducks' hopes of hosting the postseason.
If that was to be Vander Weide's swan song at Matthew Knight Arena, it was a heartbreaking way to say goodbye.
But the Ducks rallied back to win at No. 19 Washington and then Oregon State last week. That, combined with other results around the country, got Oregon back in position to host this weekend, a pod that also includes Hawai'i and Baylor, who face off Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
And it got Vander Weide one more chance to finish her career at Oregon on her terms.
"Senior night didn't end how we hoped," said Ulmer, who predicts Vander Weide will go on to be a "six-rotation hammer" as both a U.S. national team player and a professional in Europe once Oregon's postseason run is over.
"Now we get another chance at that. We can rewrite the story, and make it a little better."
Players Mentioned
OH/RS
/ Women's Volleyball
RS
/ Women's Volleyball
L/OH
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
L/OH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
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