After ending last season on a heartbreaking Elite Eight loss to Louisville, the players waited for the moment they could get back on the court. 

With new offseason additions and award-winning returners, the Ducks are aiming to push the bar higher than they did in 2022 and they’re off to a good start. In the season opener, No. 9 Oregon swept No. 13 San Diego (25-21, 25-22, 25-13) at the Rainbow Wahine Classic. 

In the opening set, Oregon managed to never trail and quickly had a 10-6 lead after the reigning AVCA National Freshman of the Year Mimi Colyer hit her fourth kill of the game. Eventually, the Ducks built their lead out to six, causing San Diego to use its second timeout. Afterwards, the Toreros went on a five-point run to tie the game at 17, but Oregon responded with its own 5-1 point splurge to build a safe lead. 

As the set was closing, San Diego cut the deficit back to two, but the Ducks held on. Oregon received advantage point on a Torero service error and middle blocker Karson Bacon ended it all with a block down the middle for a 1-0 Duck lead. 
With Colyer’s 15 kills and a .324 hitting percentage that was paired with Morgan Lewis’ nine and Ohio State transfer Gabby Gonzales’ seven kills, Oregon’s offense generated an overall .341 hitting percentage, while the defense held San Diego at .062 on the night. 

Heading into the second set, San Diego turned it around and took a 9-4 lead, forcing head coach Matt Ulmer to call an early timeout. Slowly, the Ducks were able to inch their way back into the set and caught up to 15-17 before the Toreros called a timeout. 

Oregon later tied the game at 18 all due to back-to-back kills from Gonzales and Lewis. The Ducks took their first lead at 21-20 after a Bacon-Colyer block that was a part of a 6-0 run. At match point, the Ducks had to fight their way for the 25th point, but Colyer ended it with a kill to complete the comeback.

The Ducks’ success with kills tonight comes from Hannah Pukis, who reached her 4,000 career assist with her fifth set of the match to Gonzales in the opening minutes of the game. With 30 assists and a .429 assist percentage, it’s hard to stop the Ducks once they are rolling. 

An early 6-0 run in the third set put Oregon on top with some ease. The 8-4 advantage that came after three Colyer kills and a big block from Bacon and Gonzales forced San Diego to call a timeout. 

Throughout the entire set, the Ducks never let their lead drop beyond four, and even reached double digits at 19-9. Oregon never slowed down before they arrived at match point on middle blocker Kara McGee’s first and only kill of the night. San Diego kept the game alive for a little bit longer with back-to-back kills, but Oregon was able to finish the night after the Toreros committed a service error. 

With a 1-0 start to the season, the Ducks will face Northwest for the first time since 2000 in the Rainbow Wahine Classic with first serve scheduled at 7:45 pm PT.