CORVALLIS – Sonja Newcombe made each kill seem effortless.
It was as if each ball sent her way was destined for the floor. Newcombe continued her torrid play Friday, the latest in a string of double-digit kill performances, as the Oregon volleyball team swept Oregon State at Gill Coliseum, 30-23, 30-21 and 30-20.
Newcombe had a large part in the efficient Oregon win with 15 kills, tied for the team-high with teammate Gorana Maricic. Heather Meyers had 13 kills for the Ducks.
“We came back much more prepared and more focused,” Meyers said. “It’s exciting.”
Considering the different factors entering the match – Oregon entering on a four-match losing streak and Oregon State coming off an upset of then No. 4 UCLA – the way in which Oregon responded left coach Jim Moore ecstatic.
“I was hoping,” Moore said of the sweep. “That’s what made it hard. They are coming off that upset win. They are flying high. They’re at home. It’s the Civil War. You could go on and on and on. Everything they had going their way, I knew it was going to be tough.”
The win comes as Oregon returns home to McArthur Court next weekend for matches with Arizona and Arizona State, two schools the Ducks have already beaten on the road. Oregon is now 15-6 overall and 4-5 in the Pacific-10 Conference.
“I tried to make this not a must-win, but it was if we’re going to stay confident and stay up,” he said.
In each game, Oregon created leads and kept them.
“We’ve been working on that a lot during practice,” Meyers said. “When games are tight, try to keep your lead and keep your focus and I think we did a good job keeping a more calm focus during the game and focusing on the next play.”
In the second game, Moore called a timeout and gave his team a reminder after Oregon State cut a 12-point lead to eight.
“I said ‘OK, we’re going to finish this just like they’re one point behind us,’” Moore said.
Newcombe, who also had 10 digs, hit .433, while Kristen Forristall and Meyers each hit .417. Libero Katie Swoboda had a match-high 18 digs.
Oregon led 20-19 in game one when the Ducks started a 6-1 run, featuring three kills by Meyers and a Newcombe service ace, for a 26-20 lead. Newcombe closed the game with two kills.
In game two, Oregon State jumped to a 3-1 lead. Oregon went ahead 10-6 on a Maricic service ace and upped the lead to 16-10 on an Oregon State service error. The Ducks made it a 10-point advantage on a Maricic kill, 20-10, and ended the game on a Maricic block and Meyers’ service ace.
The third game was similar to the first two with Oregon building a 21-16 lead on a play that had Moore standing up and praising his team. What appeared to be a kill by Oregon State was saved when Swoboda or Newcombe – Moore was unsure who – got their hand under the ball and kept the play alive. Oregon returned it and gained the point on a Beaver attack error.
“It was great to just stay with it and not give up,” he said.
Oregon won the game and match, 30-20, on a Maricic kill.
“It’s huge for us,” said Newcombe, who is feeling better after dealing with biceps tendonitis. “It’s a big confidence boost. We … did what we’re capable of doing.”
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