Coming into head coach Jim Moore’s eighth season at the helm of the University of Oregon volleyball team, the Ducks held a No. 20 ranking from the American Volleyball Coaches Association preseason poll and were positioned to make a run at a Pac-12 title.
Oregon brought back a breadth of talent from its 2011 campaign that netted a record of 21-10 and reached the NCAA tournament but lost in the first round to Colorado State. @@http://www.goducks.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPSID=4284&SPID=234&DB_OEM_ID=500&Q_SEASON=2011@@
Returning for the Ducks was All-American outside hitter Alaina Bergsma who returned for her senior year as well as three-year starter Katherine Fischer. Also joining the team would be five freshmen, including Italy native Clelia DeFelice and fellow middle blocker Martenne Bettendorf. @@http://www.goducks.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&SPID=234&SPSID=4285@@
The Ducks started the 2012 season in an impressive fashion, winning three straight matches at the Sports Import Classic in Columbus, Ohio, and then winning three more at the Baymont Invitational, highlighted by a victory over No. 10-ranked Kentucky. In the win over Kentucky, Bergsma and Fischer tallied 14 kills each and sophomore Liz Brenner contributed 10 of her own. @@http://www.goducks.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPSID=4284&SPID=234&DB_OEM_ID=500&Q_SEASON=2012@@ @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=234&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205678215@@
Oregon returned home to Matthew Knight Arena for their home opener against the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos on Sept. 5, having jumped in the AVCA poll and ranked at No. 13 nationally. @@http://www.goducks.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPSID=4284&SPID=234&DB_OEM_ID=500&Q_SEASON=2012@@
The Ducks went on to beat the Gauchos and then defeated the St. Mary’s Gaels to win their first two home games by a combined score of 6-1 and remained undefeated. Following the two home victories, Coach Moore and his team traveled to Portland to take on Portland State, completing their nonconference schedule. Oregon defeated the Vikings in straight sets and began conference play ranked No. 8 in the nation with an undefeated record of 9-0.  @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=4283&SPID=234&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=113244&Q_SEASON=2012@@
The Pac-12 portion of the Oregon schedule began with the always hotly contested Civil War against Oregon State. For this installment the Ducks played host to the No. 26-ranked Beavers in Matthew Knight Arena and, behind a season-high 14 kills from middle blocker Ariana Williams, Oregon defeated its in-state rival in straight sets. @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=234&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205689178@@
Following their victory over Oregon State, the Ducks traveled to Los Angeles to take on the undefeated No. 2 USC Trojans in their biggest match of the year to that point. Bergsma led the team with 18 kills and Liz Brenner added 16 of her own as Oregon defeated USC in straight sets, 25-19, 25-15 and 25-23, to oust the Trojans from the ranks of the unbeaten. The victory of Southern California was the most complete effort the team had put forth and ultimately landed them in the No. 2 spot in the AVCA poll, their highest ranking in program history. @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=234&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205690320@@
As the Ducks found success as a team on the court, the individual accolades began to roll in as well. On Monday, junior setter Lauren Plum was named Pac-12 offensive player of the week after her impressive performances against Oregon State and USC where she had 48 and 46 assists in the matches. Several days later, Plum took home another award and was named the AVCA National Player of the Week. She is not the first Oregon player to win the coveted award — outside hitter Bergsma won it in 2010.
Since the initial AVCA poll was released on Aug. 13th, Oregon has moved up an impressive 18 spots to No. 2 behind Penn State University.
The Ducks continue their undefeated campaign as they return to conference play again this weekend. Oregon welcomes Utah to Eugene on Sept. 28 and Colorado on Sept. 29.