When asked about his team’s weekend series with Utah and Colorado, Oregon volleyball coach Jim Moore’s response deviated from the monotony of normal coach-speak.
“This is all about us,” Moore said. “It’s not about the other team.”
Although Colorado (5-16, 0-13 Pac-12) and Utah (8-14, 3-10 Pac-12) have only won a combined three Pac-12 matches, the No. 16 Ducks (14-6, 7-5 Pac-12) are preparing for the weekend as they always do. In light of a flat start against Washington State this past weekend, Moore is more focused on his team’s execution than the opponents’ efforts.@@http://www.cubuffs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=3866&SPID=256&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=600&ATCLID=205321051@@
“We have to take care of our side of the net,” Moore said. “And if we can’t do that, if you’re playing, you won’t get to keep playing a match regardless of who’s out there. If that doesn’t work we’ll find a way to get it, but we’re not going to play sort-of.”
When Oregon played the Utes and Buffaloes last month, they were somewhere in between functioning on all cylinders and “sort of.” The Ducks won all six sets, defeating Colorado 25-13, 25-13, 25-14 and Utah 25-19, 25-15, 25-21, but weren’t completely pleased.@@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=234&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205276558@@ @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=234&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205276697@@
“We didn’t play as well as we wanted to offensively, but we ended up making it quick and fast and got out of there,” Oregon outside hitter Katherine Fischer said after the Colorado game. “That’s what we wanted to do.”
Oregon’s .162 hitting percentage against Utah didn’t sit well with the Ducks, either.@@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=234&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205276697@@
“Our hitting again was off,” Moore said after the match. “We did not hit great. We didn’t hit .350 and could have and maybe perhaps even should have, but we got through it.”
But, although Moore would never say it, Oregon could have probably play its “C” game against the Utes and Buffaloes and still came away with a victory. The Ducks have a statistical advantage over both teams in almost every major category.
Colorado is 11th in the Pac-12 in hitting percentage, 12th in opponent hitting percentage, 11th in kills and 12th in blocks. Until a recent match against UCLA, they hadn’t won a set in the entire conference season.@@http://www.pac-12.org/Portals/7/images/wvolleyball/2011-Stats/HTML/CONFLDRS.HTM@@
“They’re kids that are playing hard and I think are learning to play in the conference,” Moore said. “They’re going to come in and battle.”
Although still ranking towards the bottom of the Pac-12, Utah has posted more respectable numbers. The Utes are ninth in hitting efficiency, eighth in opponent hitting percentage, ninth in kills and fourth in blocks.@@same@@
“They’re big and they’re a solid team,” Moore said of the Utes. “They block well.”
In comparison, Oregon ranks seventh in the conference in hitting percentage, seventh in opponent’s hitting percentage, second in kills and 11th in blocks.@@same@@
Game times change
Rather than the customary Friday and Saturday 7 p.m. start times, Oregon will face Utah at 7 p.m. on Friday, but wait until 1 p.m. Sunday to take on Colorado. Moore said having a day in between matches could help both teams.@@http://www.goducks.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&SPID=234&SPSID=4284@@
“It makes it a little longer, but Sundays are easier for the same reason football always complains when they have a night start: it’s a long day,” Moore said. “At least you don’t have one long day. Saturday you have a whole day in between and it’s good.”
Plum earns pair of Player of the Week honors
For her role in Oregon’s victories over Washington and Washington State, Duck setter Lauren Plum earned both Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week and American Volleyball Coaches Association National Player of the Week honors. Plum posted a staggering 52 assists in the Ducks’ upset over the then-No. 7 Huskies.@@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=4287&SPID=234&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=205322021&DB_OEM_ID=500@@ @@http://avca.org/divisions/division-one-women/player-of-the-week/@@ @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=4287&SPID=234&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=205321167&DB_OEM_ID=500@@
“She was the difference in that match and she did a great job,” Moore said. “I was thrilled to death that she got it and I think she deserved it. I’m happy for her because she played very well Saturday for sure.”