It was supposed to be a matchup between two of the Pacific-10 Conference’s most equally balanced teams.
Instead, a freshman from Lancaster, Pa., stole the show.
Kim Glass, the current Pac-10 volleyball player of the week, struck 20 kills as Arizona defeated Oregon in three straight games (30-19, 30-18, 30-28) Thursday in front of 506 fans at McArthur Court.
Glass posted just three kills in game 1 but came back strong in games 2 and 3, hitting for eight and nine kills, respectively. She finished with a .410 hitting percentage and had two service aces and 10 digs to go along with her offensive prowess.

“She just jumped out of the gym,” Oregon senior Lindsay Closs said. “(She) hit straight over us. She’s jumping over you. There’s not much you can do about it. You just try and dig her.”
The five freshmen on the Arizona roster accounted for 29 of the Wildcats’ 54 kills of the night, highlighted by Glass’ effort but also strengthened by Bre Ladd’s eight strikes. Ladd also finished with a superior percentage, .467, although she had 25 less attempts.
Oregon, not to be outdone, put up a fight in game 3 after two sub-par sets. Freshman Dariam Acevedo led the Ducks with 11 kills and Closs had 10. But it was a five-point run midway through the final set that propelled Oregon to a close finish.
A kill by senior Sydney Chute started the run that eventually ended on a Closs kill, pulling the Ducks to within two, 17-15.
“Making adjustments as the match progresses is a key part of your success in this conference,” Oregon head coach Carl Ferreira said when asked about Oregon’s late run. “It’s the young kids that are making the adjustments.”
The entire Oregon roster made those adjustments in game 3. However, as Ferreira alluded to, the four Duck freshmen have been outstanding, especially late in the match.
That was the case against
the Wildcats.
Acevedo came through with five kills in the final set while freshman Jodi Bell came on strong in the end after a sluggish start to the match. She ended the night with 21 assists — not a superior figure — but much improved after 11 in the first two sets combined.
“In the first two games, our serving and passing could have been better,” freshman Kelly Russell said, referring to Oregon’s improved offense in game 3.
“Games 1 and 2, I didn’t think we passed to get our offense in a rhythm,” Ferreira said. “In game 3, you’re passing the ball, and your offense is in much more of a rhythm.”
The Ducks are not finished this weekend as Arizona State visits McArthur Court tonight at 7 p.m.