The Ducks have started their 2023-24 season very hot, losing just one game out of their first 11. They are currently ranked No. 6 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Poll and have played some of the nation’s best squads, earning their 10-1 record.
Oregon’s only loss came in the Big Ten/Pac-12 Challenge in early September. The Ducks started off the weekend with a tough loss against a No. 10 ranked Minnesota team. It was a close fight throughout each set, with Oregon taking a 2-1 lead going into the fourth set. After the Gophers won that set, the fifth set was an incredible back-and-forth battle which featured eight ties.
They quickly bounced back the next day against No. 15 Ohio State. The Ducks got this done in just four sets and hit .327 throughout the match, which was the sixth time they had done that this season.
The weekend in Stanford, Cali., revealed a lot about what this squad has to offer for the rest of the season and what is predicted of them moving forward into conference play. Oregon’s loss showed how it has the resilience to fight through whatever adversity comes its way.
This team is run by setter Hannah Pukis. She is one of the best in the country, after being named as an All-American last season and a Preseason All-Pac 12 selection this season. Pukis had her best two games in terms of assists, with 58 against the University of Minnesota and 52 against Ohio State, which is typical for someone who always comes up clutch when Oregon needs it.
Last season, outside hitter Mimi Colyer was the first Duck to ever win Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and AVCA National Freshman of the Year awards. This season she has continued to be one of Oregon’s standout performers. She is one of the primary offensive weapons for this squad, and hasn’t gotten below 13 kills in any game this season.
While Colyer didn’t have the most outstanding beginning to the season, the Big Ten/Pac-12 challenge seemed to have been a jumping off point for her. After going for 21 points against Minnesota, she struggled in the Ohio State match, only scoring 15.5 points. Since that match, she hasn’t gone below 20 points in any game.
Colyer is leading the team in kills with 184 and is the team’s best server with 19 service aces. If this team goes far in the postseason again, it will be similar to last year’s Elite Eight run as Pukis and Colyer will be a large part in the Ducks’ offense.
This is also a very solid defensive squad, with their opponents hitting an average of .170 during the season. Oregon’s defense is led by senior middle blocker Kara McGhee, a transfer from Baylor who has nine solo blocks so far on the season with 43 assisted blocks. McGhee also averages 1.37 blocks per set, which is among some of the best in the conference.
McGhee is aided on defense by opposite hitter Morgan Lewis and middle blocker Karson Bacon, who are experienced and returning players that are important to the defense, while adding more offense on the other end.
Libero Georgia Murphy leads the team in digs, with 3.07 digs per set and a total of 126 for the season. Murphy is among the most reliable liberos in the country. Over her five seasons in Eugene, she has completely owned the libero position.
Pukis also works hard on defense, and her stats are not too far behind Murphy with 2.85 digs per set and a total of 117 digs.
The Ducks squad has a tremendous amount of leadership, talent and experience. It’s gaining a lot of momentum from its current win streak. Oregon is a scary team, not only for the Pac-12, but for the rest of the nation. The Big Ten/Pac-12 challenge was a major turning point for the team, as it has taken its play to the next level and looks to carry that through the rest of the season into the postseason.
