For the first time this season, McArthur Court was filled with jubilation after a Pacific-10 Conference volleyball contest.
The Oregon band proudly saluted a relieved team with the school’s fight song as the Ducks stormed down the halls, screaming and slapping high-fives.
The excitement was clear: The Ducks (10-14 overall, 2-13 Pac-10) had just won their first conference match at home, in their final weekend in Eugene, and had beaten one of their most heated opponents for the first time since 1995.
“We’ve just been working so hard all week in practice, and we knew we could win,” said junior hitter Monique Tobbagi after Oregon’s 3-1 (11-15, 15-12, 16-14, 15-8) victory against Washington Thursday night. “I’m just really proud of our competitive attitude tonight.”
Three Oregon players recorded double-digit kills, but the night belonged to Tobbagi, who finished the match with a career-high 28 kills.
“I felt really confident all night,” said Tobbagi, who also tallied 11 digs and three service aces. “They weren’t able to stop me.”
Senior Halie Mazza tied a career high with seven blocks, while adding 19 kills and a .421 attack percentage. Sophomore Sydney Chute just missed a triple-double with 10 kills, 45 assists and nine digs. As a team, the Ducks outblocked the Huskies 14-4.
“We deserved this,” said freshman Lindsay Murphy after one of her best performances in a Duck uniform. “We’ve thought about this since we lost to them earlier this year. It was really hard to hug [the Washington players] after that.”
But the hugs were much easier this time around.
While the Ducks opened each game with quick leads, the Huskies found a way to slip back into the contest, especially in game three.
With the match tied 1-1, the Ducks trailed 12-14 with Washington ready to serve in the pivotal third game. Another Husky point would have meant that the Ducks would finish last in the Pac-10 for the second straight year.
But it was not to be, as head coach Carl Ferreira made one of the best, yet easiest, decisions during his first year at Oregon. He simply called a timeout to gather his young volleyball squad.
“We talked about staying relaxed and staying focused for the moment,” Tobbagi said. “We always want to get the first ball kill right away, gain momentum and put them away.”
The Ducks were then able to capitalize on four Husky errors to win game three, 16-14, on a Mazza kill.
“I loved the way we handled those big moments. It showed great maturity,” Ferreira said. “If you’re afraid of these big moments, you’re not going to be a good competitor.”
The Ducks host Washington State tonight at 7 p.m. in the final home game of the season.
“We’re looking for a sweep,” said Murphy, who finished the match with six kills and 13 digs.