Oregon women’s volleyball (9-2) has come a long way since its early tests. Now riding a four match win streak, the Ducks have begun to settle in and find their rhythm under the new helm of head coach Trent Kersten.
“We’re all new here, so (we) just mesh well as a team. I feel like we know that we can do this and we can compete with some of the more top teams,” freshman Alanah Clemente said in her season preview.
In just her first year as a Duck, opposite hitter Clemente has proven herself as a leader of this Oregon front line. After a stellar season opening weekend performance at the EVEN Hotel Bobcat Invite in Bozeman, Montana, she earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week. Second in kills on the season with 94, Clemente is a key component to Oregon’s successes.
In front of Clemente in kills with 130 on the season is Michigan transfer Valentina Vaulet, a junior opposite hitter from Córdoba, Argentina. Vaulet has also shown she can be a difference maker for this Oregon program. Her elite arm speed and aggression at the net is why she leads the team in total points (165.5) and points per set (4.14).
In a sweep over the University of Portland, the Ducks seemed to find a cohesive game plan that allowed them to execute. Despite this home opener success, Kersten was vocal post-match that the performance was not up to team standard. Problems arose with rotation issues and not being able to communicate effectively who was up next to serve.
“We can do so much better than we are right now. We have to improve on the defensive side of the ball. We’re not where we need to be. I want to be very clear with everyone: we’re going to work our tails off to get where we need to go to prepare for the Big Ten and more,” Kersten said.
Oregon’s growth has been fast and necessarily so. Just a month ago, the Ducks opened the season with a poor performance showing up to in-state rival Oregon State in a preseason exhibition. But on Sept. 18, they returned the favor, taking down the Beavers 3-1 on the road in Corvallis.
“I think this team has come so far in a little over a month. You’ve got 15 new players that are just figuring each other out and figuring out how to compliment each other. I think that’s kind of been the story of our season so far — we haven’t been able to get into a rhythm in any sort of lineup, we’ve changed in just about every match so far. So I’d love for them to start to build and start to have something where we compliment each other. We’re still looking for some of that magic,” Kersten said.
The “magic” may be starting to appear, thanks in large part to standout performances across the court. These adjustments for the Ducks have come from the need to find a set rotation among the young new group. With eight true freshmen on the 16 player roster, the Ducks have had to rely on rapid development and team chemistry to stay competitive.
In their second duel versus the Beavers, the Ducks seemed significantly more comfortable on the court, able to move seamlessly between rotations.
“We’re feeling great; I think we’re really pumped to go after it, ready to start conference play. I’m so happy that I’m here. I’m so grateful and I think we show that on the court,” Clemente said.
What lies ahead for the Ducks will be a true test of what this team is capable of. In the NCAA AVCA preseason volleyball rankings Oregon will face off against five top 15 teams. At home, Minnesota, Penn State and Wisconsin, ranking No. 12, 15 and 7 consecutively, have all been top volleyball programs in the Big Ten year after year. On the road, the Ducks will face off the No. 1 ranked Nebraska and No. 10 Purdue.
With nine wins under their belts, the Ducks will look to start off the Big Ten season strong. Oregon will open conference play versus Illinois on the road on Sept. 26.
