Home Winning Streak Hits 20

Friday, September 29

Eugene, OR

6:00 PM

University of Oregon

13-1,3-0Pac-12

Washington

9-5,0-3Pac-12

Washington

Oregon

Team huddle celebration vs UW - Sept. 29

Photo by: Molly McPherson

09/30/23 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Photo Gallery

No. 6 Oregon (13-1, 3-0) beat Washington in four sets Friday at Matthew Knight Arena.

EUGENE, Ore. — The No. 6 Oregon volleyball team rallied from dropping the opening set Friday night to beat Washington in four sets (21-25, 25-17, 25-20, 25-22) at Matthew Knight Arena. With the result, the Ducks improve to 13-1 overall and 3-0 in Pac-12 play. The victory also extended Oregon's home-winning streak to 20, the third-longest mark in the country.

Gabby Gonzales led all players with 15 kills and capped her third double-double of the year with 10 digs. Mimi Colyer and Kara McGhee joined their teammate in double figures with 14 and 10 kills, respectively.
In directing the offense, Hannah Pukis tallied 48 assists to go along with 11 digs, four kills, four aces and three blocks.

Collectively, the Ducks had a season-high 10 service aces including four by Pukis, matching a career high, and three from Gonzales. Libero Georgia Murphy, also with an ace Friday, posted a match-high 15 digs.

How It Happened: Oregon dropped the first set for just the second time this season but responded with a 5-0 rush to start the second frame. However, the visiting Huskies steadied to pull even at 13-all thanks to a four-point surge. However, the Ducks never relinquished the lead and finished the set on a 7-0 push behind Pukis' serve.

The UO senior served up four aces down the stretch including the set winner that painted the back line and evened the match at 1-all.

In the third, the home team took a 4-2 advantage after back-to-back-to-back kills from Gonzales, Colyer and Morgan Lewis. Oregon steadily expanded on its lead and eventually went ahead 13-7 after McGhee and Pukis teamed up for a block. The Ducks held that same six-point lead as late as 20-14.

Washington (9-5, 0-3) began to chip away and with the help of a 5-1 run, pulled to within two points but Oregon answered with a kill from McGhee and an ace from Gonzales to get to set point at 24-20. On the team's second opportunity to close out the set, McGhee found the floor again with a kill to clinch a 2-1 match lead.

The fourth set featured 11 ties and six lead changes but the Ducks' offense had its strongest output of the night with a .308 figure in the close-out frame. With the score tied at 14-all, Oregon struck the final decisive move with a 5-1 run to take the 19-15 lead and force a UW timeout.

Behind one last push, Washington pulled within one—UO leading 23-22—to pull a timeout from head coach Matt Ulmer. Out of the huddle, the Ducks got a kill from Lewis for match point and then another from Karson Bacon to secure the four-set victory. The final kill was set up by a tough serve from Murphy that was sent back to the net where Bacon tapped it down for the win.

Bacon finished the night with eight kills and just one attack error on 12 swings.

Up Next: In what will be the first top-10 matchup at MKA since 2012, the Ducks host No. 7 Washington State Sunday at 12 p.m. The first 500 UO students get a free Oregon Volleyball t-shirt. Additionally, kids 12 and under receive free admission at the north entrance.

Season tickets, starting at just $54, are still available through the UO ticket office or by clicking HERE.

For more news and information about Oregon Volleyball, follow @OregonVB on Instagram and Twitter, and @OregonVolleyball on Facebook.