After a year of setbacks due to COVID-19, Oregon volleyball kicked off the season traveling to Pullman to take on Washington State. The Ducks were never able to find their footing against the Cougars, and were defeated in four sets. 

In the first set, the Ducks were able to keep the score relatively close with a kill from Brooke Nunevillier to bring the Ducks to 23-20. But the Cougars were able to pull away when Alexcis Lusby scored a kill to bring up set point. Lusby came up clutch again, earning a solo block on Taylor Borup to clinch the first set 25-20. 

Oregon came back strong in the second set. After the set was tied 14-14, the Ducks took control the rest of the way. Two successive attack errors by Washington State gave Oregon a 23-19 lead. A kill by Gloria Mutiri put the Ducks up 24-19. In a reversal from set one, Borup earned a kill on a Lusby block error and Oregon won 25-19. 

But the match went downhill for Oregon after their set two victory. At the end of set three Oregon was down 21-20, locked in a tight set with the Cougars. Washington State’s Pia Timmer assisted Julianna Dalton’s kill to put the Cougars up 22-20. Two costly mistakes, an error by Mutiri and a ball handling error by Kylie Robinson created a Cougar set point. A kill by Magda Jehlarova secured the set for Washington State 25-22. 

In the final set, Oregon attempted to close a deficit in the waning moments. After being down 19-23, they tightened the game to 21-23 after Borup earned a solo block on an attack error by Washington State’s Kalyah Williams. But it was too little too late as a Morgan Lewis kill brought up set point for the Cougars. Williams’s block assist sealed the match for Washington State. 

Oregon will have plenty of opportunities to bounce back and will take on the Cougars again on Sunday.