With Oregon facing a 21-24 deficit in the fourth set and on the brink of playoff elimination, Ronika Stone rose to the occasion. Stone practically scored at will, rattling off three powerful kills, tying the set at 24, and giving the Ducks new hope. However, this hope for a win and a playoffs appearance disappeared after Washington State took the next two points. Stone left the court in tears; her senior season will be the first and only time she hasn’t made the NCAA tournament in her Oregon career.
“She did everything she could do,” head coach Matt Ulmer said of his star senior. “That showed our fight and our spirit.”
Stone’s intense passion was matched by a remarkable statline, racking up 19 kills, 15 digs, and 8 blocks in Sunday’s loss to 24th ranked Washington State in Matthew Knight arena.
Oregon started off the first set with three consecutive points, and they kept the lead until Washington State scored four straight, making it 15-13. Oregon bounced back with another three of their own, reclaiming the lead and the momentum. Neither team could truly take control however, and poor passing was the downfall for Oregon later in the set. Washington State tied it at 16 and then took seven of the next eight points, eventually winning the set 25-20.
Oregon continued to match Washington State’s energy at the beginning of the second set, but things unraveled when the Cougars went on a five point scoring run and then a seven point run shortly after. The Ducks struggled to defend a relentless Washington State attack, and were unable to string points together. The only time Oregon’s offense gained momentum was following timeouts, but the Cougars were quick to break down the Ducks’ game plan. The set ended 25-15 in favor of Washington State.
“We’re just not at that level yet,” Ulmer said. “We do so many good things and continue to get better, we’re just not consistent.”
Despite losing the match, Oregon was able to avoid its third consecutive sweep, after getting shut out by Stanford on Nov. 3 and then Washington on Nov. 7. The third set was almost the complete opposite of the second, as the Ducks came out hot and kept the lead. Brooke Nuneviller’s serve took over in the middle of the set, highlighting a six-point scoring run with an ace. A chance of a comeback for the Cougars was ended when a ball hit by Willow Johnson sailed out of bounds but was ruled a touch after a challenge and review. Stone won the set on a menacing spike — a normality for the 6-foot-2 middle blocker — and the Ducks had new life.
Stone’s remarkable performance continued in the fourth set, pouring every bit of strength she had left into keeping Oregon’s tournament hopes alive. The set was a back and forth battle until eight straight points by Washington State made it 21-13. The Ducks weren’t finished though, even with a 24-19 deficit. They scored five points in a row including three clutch kills by Stone to tie the set at 24. The effort came up short in the end, and the Cougars scored the next two points to win the match.
Pia Timmer led Washington State with 10 kills on the day, while her teammate Jocelyn Urias had 9. Brooke Nuneviller followed Stone’s 19 kills with 9 of her own. Overall, the Ducks had 51 kills while the Cougars had 44.
The loss is hard on the entire program, but especially hard for Stone. This season has been about more than just improving her game, she’s blossomed into a leader on a team with just three seniors. While her team isn’t going to be in the tournament this year, Stone put on a great show for everyone in Matthew Knight Arena on Sunday afternoon.
This year will mark the first time since 2010 that Oregon volleyball has failed to reach the NCAA Tournament. Matt Ulmer’s squad made an elite eight appearance last year, and Jim Moore’s 2012 team made the tournament championship.
Oregon falls to 7-16 on the year and 3-11 in conference play, while Washington State improves to 21-5 overall and 10-4 in the Pac-12. The Ducks will stay in Eugene to take on Arizona on Friday night at 7 p.m.
