The Oregon volleyball team opened its season in strong fashion, sweeping its first three opponents at the Oregon Invitational. The No. 14 ranked Ducks utilized their depth at middle-blocker and setter to overwhelm their opponents in their first three victories.
Head coach Matt Ulmer heads into his fifth season as a coach, with significant expectations. Ulmer has constructed a roster talented enough to compete for a national title.
“The team got a great taste in that Sweet 16 match,” Coach Ulmer said. “Everything has to fall the right way, but we’re practicing at a level that will put us in a good spot come tournament time.”
Four players remain from the Ducks’ Elite Eight squad: Taylor Borup, Brooke Nuneviller, Karson Bacon and Kylie Robinson. That quartet makes up for the core of this roster, but the Ducks are both talented and deep this season — which sets up multiple battles for playing time.
Robinson is entering her junior year, competing with sophomore Elise Ferriera for playing time as the setter. Experience lends Robinson the edge to earn the starting spot, but both players are talented and will help the Ducks win matches this season.
The middle blocker spot is also deep with talent, as newcomer Kiari Robey will challenge incumbents Bacon and Abby Hansen. Robey, the No. 67 ranked player in 2020 recruiting class, redshirted last season — but her talent should give her playing time that might take away from the upperclassmen.
“Abby and Karson are experienced and know their jobs in the system,” Ulmer said. “As for the other middles, it’s about learning a lot of those things.”
Coming off a season in which she was named to the All-Pac-12 team, Nuneviller is one player that won’t have to compete for her time as an outside hitter. She was recently named to the Pac-12 preseason team, after spending her summer competing on the national stage against the country’s top talents.
Nuneviller sought out that national competition because of her passion for the game and desire to improve, and coach Ulmer has seen that pay off in practice. This season, the junior will be in the running for Pac-12 player of the year, and she will be a focal point on the Ducks’ quest for a title.
Libero Georgia Murphy is the engine of the team, as the offense and defense runs through her. Ulmer praised his libero as one of the best passers in the country, and she used the offseason to expand her game.
Morgan Lewis was crucial to the Ducks’ trip to the Sweet 16 last season — as she led the team in kills during the NCAA tournament, recording 13 in each game. After an inconsistent regular season, she showed spurts of improvement in the tournament.
Lewis’ progression will be vital to the Ducks success this season, and coach Ulmer believes she is ready for that next step.
“Morgan has all the shots in her arsenal; she just has to figure out when to use them,” Ulmer said.
In addition to excelling as a passer, Murphy extended her range on defense, becoming more aggressive now that she has fully recovered from last season’s shoulder injury.
With 13 returning players and four incoming freshmen, this is the most complete Oregon volleyball team Coach Ulmer’s had. He will use the start of the season to solidify the rotations. ut, once they click, this team could reach heights no Oregon team has in the past.
