The volleyball gods were smiling down on McArthur Court on Tuesday. Unfortunately for Oregon, they were looking in UCLA’s direction.
In what could have been one of the biggest upsets of the 2001 season in the Pacific-10 Conference, the Bruins (18-8 overall, 12-6 Pac-10) were able to hold off the underdog Ducks in four games (30-19, 25-30, 30-16, 30-28).
With UCLA up 25-17 late in game four, junior Stephanie Martin and senior Monique Tobbagi took it upon themselves to bring the Ducks back. Martin’s kill set into motion what would be a seven-point run by Oregon, with Tobbagi contributing two service aces and one kill, bringing the Ducks within one.
The two teams would trade points until UCLA again had the lead at 29-27, only to give Oregon a point with an defensive error. However, a kill by UCLA junior Lauren Fendrick gave the game and to the Bruins and kept the No. 11 team in the nation afloat.
The Ducks remain winless at 0-17 in conference play, but put up a fight against the Bruins. Twice Oregon had runs of six points or more, including the seven-pointer late in game four. In game two, the only set the Ducks (9-20 overall) won on the night, a six-point run put them ahead 13-7 and in the driver’s seat.
After UCLA came back within one point at 23-22, Oregon’s resiliency took over and led them to the five-point win. Sophomore Lindsay Murphy ended game two with an emphatic kill, one of her three on the night.
But it was all Tobbagi in game two. With seven kills in the set, the senior outside hitter led the Ducks not only offensively, but with heart as well. Whenever Oregon needed a point, she was there to provide it, including a crucial one to keep them ahead 26-24.
Tobbagi, playing in her last game as a Duck against UCLA and the second-to-last match in her collegiate career, paced Oregon with 16 kills and 11 kills, her 10th double-double of the season. More importantly, she had three service aces, including the two late in game four to keep the Ducks alive.
“Tremendous character and heart by our players to learn how to compete at a level that gives them a chance to succeed against the best in the country,” head coach Carl Ferreira said. “I thought we did play extremely well.”
The Ducks were simply overmatched in games one and three, losing 25 combined points. In game one, UCLA got ahead quickly, and were able to put Ferreira’s squad away with two runs of four points or more. Bruin freshman Brittany Ringel led the squad with five kills and an .833 hitting percentage.
In the game, Oregon hit a .417 percentage, but were only able to record 12 kills in 24 chances. Their two attack errors were virtually nil, compared to their nine each in games three and four.
“It still comes down to scoring more points than your opponent and minimizing unforced errors,” Ferreira said. “When we disrupt their offense, we score more points.”
However, the Ducks were not able to keep UCLA off the scoreboard enough, as they recorded 20 kills and a .586 percentage.
Game three would be much of the same, with UCLA giving the Ducks no breathing room. Tied at 11, UCLA won the next nine out of 10 points to put them in a commanding position, and held the Ducks to only five points the rest of the way. A 30-16 win would be the result.
In the game, the Ducks looked tired and overmatched. They hit for a minus-.029 percentage compared to UCLA’s .361.
Oregon’s strongest match of the Pac-10 season ultimately proved to be the one that got away, but not before they put up a fight. Martin’s 11 kills were second to Tobbagi’s 16, and redshirt sophomore Heather Gilmore, seeing increased playing time, chipped in with nine.
“Heather had one of her better Pac-10 matches this year,” Ferreira said. “Her contribution tonight is a huge contributing factor to a much more balanced offense.”
The Ducks end their season tonight against USC. First serve is slated for 7 p.m. at McArthur Court.