Sunday, October 6
Eugene, OR
1:00 PM
University of Oregon
5-8, 1-3
0
vs
3
California
13-1, 3-1
1
2
3
F
California
25
25
25
3
Oregon
14
18
21
0
Photo by: Samuel Marshall
Ducks Swept By Golden Bears
10/06/19 | Women's Volleyball
The Oregon volleyball team lost in three sets Sunday at Matthew Knight Arena.
EUGENE, Ore. — The No. 25 Oregon volleyball team fell to 1-3 in conference play after a three-set sweep at the hands of No. 19 California on Sunday in Matthew Knight Arena, 25-14, 25-18, 25-12.
Ranked No. 11 to open this season, the Ducks have been racked by injuries and inconsistent play entering the final weekend of the first half of the season, the upcoming road trip to Washington.
"We're learning through the fire," UO coach Matt Ulmer said of a roster that features just three veterans, and highly rated recruits still adjusting to the collegiate level. "Some of it is very painful — very, very painful. Painful to watch; painful to coach. …
"It's just the ultimate team sport, where if you're not doing your job, your teammates are really going to feel it. And right now that's where we are. We have pieces; we don't have a team. And we're trying to find it."
How It Happened: The Ducks (5-8, 1-3 Pac-12) struggled out of the gate, to the extent that Ulmer moved from their standard 5-1 rotation to a 6-2, rotating setters Kylie Robinson and Elise Ferreira. Oregon was within 9-7 when Brooke Nuneviller tooled a kill off the block, but Cal then scored seven straight points thanks largely to a dominant block and some UO errors. Senior Ronika Stone tried to energize the Ducks with a couple of emphatic kills late in the set, despite Cal's defensive focus on her, but the Golden Bears never let up.
Oregon's passing uncharacteristically began to break down over the course of the match, reflecting how much the Ducks are pressing as they try to build some consistency. Cal shot out to a 5-2 lead in the second set, and though the Ducks briefly fought into the lead at 6-5 on a solo block by Karson Bacon, it was short-lived. Consecutive errors by the Ducks helped the Bears go up 16-10. Oregon did manage to serve more aggressively than in Friday's loss to Stanford, and aces by Willow Johnson and Nuneviller helped the Ducks get within 17-14. But again, Cal held off the Ducks down the stretch.
After hitting .000 and .094 in the first two sets, Oregon was more competitive in the third. Cal again took an early lead, but two kills by Bacon contributed to a 3-0 run that got the Ducks within 9-7. Oregon fought into a tie at 11-11, and the teams went back and forth for several minutes. The Ducks went up 20-18 on yet another kill by Bacon and a quick spike up the middle by Stone, but Cal soon rallied back and clinched the match.
Who Stood Out: Johnson led the Ducks with 10 kills and also had 12 digs. Nuneviller added seven kills with 13 digs, and Bacon had seven kills with two blocks.
Notable: The Ducks had won 13 straight matches against the Golden Bears. … The double-double by Johnson was her fifth of the season. … Oregon used 10 players, which Ulmer said was everyone available. "We're very limited; all the healthy bodies we had played," he said. "You saw our whole roster. But we still need to come up with some answers, to try and score the ball better."
Up Next: Oregon goes on the road next weekend, beginning at Washington State on Friday (6 p.m. PT, Pac-12).
Ranked No. 11 to open this season, the Ducks have been racked by injuries and inconsistent play entering the final weekend of the first half of the season, the upcoming road trip to Washington.
"We're learning through the fire," UO coach Matt Ulmer said of a roster that features just three veterans, and highly rated recruits still adjusting to the collegiate level. "Some of it is very painful — very, very painful. Painful to watch; painful to coach. …
"It's just the ultimate team sport, where if you're not doing your job, your teammates are really going to feel it. And right now that's where we are. We have pieces; we don't have a team. And we're trying to find it."
How It Happened: The Ducks (5-8, 1-3 Pac-12) struggled out of the gate, to the extent that Ulmer moved from their standard 5-1 rotation to a 6-2, rotating setters Kylie Robinson and Elise Ferreira. Oregon was within 9-7 when Brooke Nuneviller tooled a kill off the block, but Cal then scored seven straight points thanks largely to a dominant block and some UO errors. Senior Ronika Stone tried to energize the Ducks with a couple of emphatic kills late in the set, despite Cal's defensive focus on her, but the Golden Bears never let up.
Oregon's passing uncharacteristically began to break down over the course of the match, reflecting how much the Ducks are pressing as they try to build some consistency. Cal shot out to a 5-2 lead in the second set, and though the Ducks briefly fought into the lead at 6-5 on a solo block by Karson Bacon, it was short-lived. Consecutive errors by the Ducks helped the Bears go up 16-10. Oregon did manage to serve more aggressively than in Friday's loss to Stanford, and aces by Willow Johnson and Nuneviller helped the Ducks get within 17-14. But again, Cal held off the Ducks down the stretch.
After hitting .000 and .094 in the first two sets, Oregon was more competitive in the third. Cal again took an early lead, but two kills by Bacon contributed to a 3-0 run that got the Ducks within 9-7. Oregon fought into a tie at 11-11, and the teams went back and forth for several minutes. The Ducks went up 20-18 on yet another kill by Bacon and a quick spike up the middle by Stone, but Cal soon rallied back and clinched the match.
Who Stood Out: Johnson led the Ducks with 10 kills and also had 12 digs. Nuneviller added seven kills with 13 digs, and Bacon had seven kills with two blocks.
Notable: The Ducks had won 13 straight matches against the Golden Bears. … The double-double by Johnson was her fifth of the season. … Oregon used 10 players, which Ulmer said was everyone available. "We're very limited; all the healthy bodies we had played," he said. "You saw our whole roster. But we still need to come up with some answers, to try and score the ball better."
Up Next: Oregon goes on the road next weekend, beginning at Washington State on Friday (6 p.m. PT, Pac-12).
Team Stats
Cal
ORE
Kills
39
35
Errors
11
20
Attempts
104
111
Hitting %
.269
.135
Points
52.0
41.0
Assists
36
32
Aces
5
3
Blocks
8.0
3.0
Game Leaders
Kills
10
Aces
1
Blocks
0
Kills
7
Aces
1
Blocks
0
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's VolleyballRS
/ Women's VolleyballOH/L
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
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