Ducks Open Weekend With Win

Friday, September 6

Fort Collins, CO

5:00 PM

University of Oregon

2-1,0-0Big Ten

Colorado State

0-4,0-0Mountain West

Oregon

Colorado St.

Photo by: Molly McPherson

09/06/24 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Photo Gallery

Oregon opened the Ram Volleyball Classic on Friday by beating host Colorado State in four sets.

FORT COLLINS, Colo. — No. 12 Oregon dropped the opening set but rallied to win the next three and clinch a victory at Colorado State to open the Ram Volleyball Classic on Friday.

The Ducks (2-1) opened the three-day, three-match event with a 20-25, 25-21, 25-23, 25-23 test from the Rams. Oregon will face Grand Canyon and Central Arkansas over the weekend.

Mimi Colyer had a season-high 19 kills to lead four UO women in double figures Friday. Noemie Glover and Sophie Gregoire each had a career-high 11 kills, and Onye Ofoegbu had a season-high 10. Cristin Cline started at setter for the second straight match and had 45 assists with three kills and five digs, and Daley McClellan set career highs with 20 digs and eight assists.

Oregon started slow but got progressively more efficient as the match wore on and hit .323. The Rams hit .299, despite eight UO blocks.

How It Happened: The Ducks played from behind throughout the opening set, falling behind 12-8 when Colorado State went on a 5-1 run. The Rams used one 4-1 run to lead 19-13, and another to go up 23-17. Trailing 24-18, Oregon fought off a couple of set points and got within 24-20 on a kill by Colyer, but the home team took the set.

The second set was back and forth early, before the Rams scored three out of four points to go up 15-12. The lead was still three at 17-14 when Oregon's block shifted momentum — a kill by Glover sparked a 5-0 run for the Ducks that included a block by Glover with Colby Neal, and a solo block from Neal that gave Oregon a 19-17 lead. Colorado State tied the set a couple of times, but kills by Colyer, Neal and Ofoegbu helped the Ducks score five of the final six points to even the match.

The Ducks grabbed early momentum in the critical third set, with kills from Glover, Neal, Colyer and Cline on the way to a 6-4 lead. Oregon was up 14-13 when Colorado State scored three times in a row to take the lead, and the Rams eventually extended the advantage to 20-17. But Glover and Gregoire each had two kills as the Ducks surged back in front, 22-21. Gregoire made it 24-22 with another kill, and she finished off the set to give the Ducks an edge in the match.

Oregon was in an early 7-3 hole in the fourth set before tying it with four straight points, which included an ace by Maya De Los Reyes. With the set tied 9-9, an exceptionally long point went the Ducks' way when Colyer and Ofoegbu teamed up for a block, and Ofoegbu joined with Glover for a block on the next point. Colorado State scored the next three points, but Oregon answered in kind. Ofoegbu sparked that run with a kill, and after CSU ended it the Ducks scored another three straight to lead 17-13. Kills from Colyer and Gregoire made it 20-16, and kills from Colyer and Glover got the lead back to four at 22-18. The Rams closed within 22-21, but Colyer ended that run and moments later Glover clinched the win for the Ducks.

Up Next: The Ducks face Grand Canyon on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. PT.