This week provides the Oregon volleyball team with a good news, bad news scenario.
The good news: The Ducks have completed the first half of their Pacific-10 Conference schedule and will be better prepared when they face opponents for a second time.
The bad news: It may not matter how prepared Oregon is when the Ducks face No. 9 UCLA on Thursday and No. 1 USC on Friday.
The Bruins and Trojans are talented enough to strike fear into the heart of any opponent, but the Ducks are staying upbeat and positive about their chances.
“They’re both awesome programs, and they both have strong traditions behind them,” freshman middle blocker Kristen Bitter said. “It is (easy to be in awe), especially as
a freshman going against the No. 1 team.
“But it’s so exciting. Not very many people get this opportunity, so I look at it as a blessing and an honor.”
Bitter added that the Ducks can relax and go after their first conference win now that they have seen all of the Pac-10 teams.
“I don’t think things will go the same during the second half of the Pac-10 (schedule),” Bitter said. “We know what we’re going up against. The shock factor is gone, and now it’s just time to play volleyball and see who we can get.”
Oregon head coach Carl Ferreira said UCLA (14-4 overall, 6-3 Pac-10) presents a smart opponent that will not beat itself. The Bruins are led by juniors Brynn Murphy and Heather Cullen. Murphy is averaging 3.88 kills per game, while Cullen is at 3.06.
“They have a high volleyball IQ,” Ferreira said. “They have a very methodical attack and hit their shots over and over and over.”

Collegiate power
The Trojans (18-0, 9-0) are the defending national champion and have held the top position in the collegiate rankings for the entire season. They have three players averaging more than three kills per game, and Ferreira said the Trojans usually have the size, athleticism and experience to overwhelm their opponents.
To put it in perspective, Ferreira added that USC has more than 100 matches of international experience among its players, compared to none for Oregon.
“They’re the best collection of collegiate players on a volleyball team I’ve ever seen,” Ferreira said. “They’re just very good at what they do.”

Double-digit Mason
Freshman outside hitter Sarah Mason led the Ducks with 10 kills in the loss on Friday at Arizona State. Mason, who has recorded double-digit kills in 10 of the Ducks’ last 11 matches, stands ninth in the Pac-10 with 3.59 kills per game during conference play.
“We knew Sarah was going to be a finisher,” Ferreira said. “I’m very pleased with her growth and development through the first half of the conference.”

500-kill club
Kelly Russell needs only 14 kills to reach a total of 500 for her career. The sophomore middle blocker leads Oregon in kills with 197 and kills per game with 3.23, while hitting at a .265 clip.

Fan support
Ferreira said earlier in the season that Washington State was home to the best volleyball atmosphere in the Pac-10. The Cougars drew 1,789 fans for Friday’s match against Washington at Bohler Gym. It was their largest crowd of the season.

Pac-10 powers
Five Pac-10 teams can be found in the top 10 of this week’s USA Today/AVCA Coaches poll, including No. 1 USC, No. 6 Stanford, No. 7 California, No. 9 UCLA and No. 10 Washington. It is believed to be the first time five Pac-10 teams have been in the top 10 since the early 1980s.