Oregon’s 2010 volleyball season ended in bitter disappointment. Despite going 19-11, the Ducks were snubbed for an NCAA Tournament bid. It took days, maybe even months for No.15 Oregon to recover.@@http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/utes/52636486-89/utah-oregon-court-ducks.html.csp@@
However, the four matches Oregon played against Cal and Stanford a year ago may have collectively marked the low point of the year.
The Ducks lost all 12 sets they played against their Bay Area rivals and didn’t look good doing it. With the Bears and the Cardinal set to visit Matthew Knight Arena this weekend, the Ducks are determined to avoid that same fate.
“We know we can beat them,” middle blocker Ariana Williams said. “But last time we played them we went down there and played horrible, embarrassing. We want to prove to them that we can actually do well against them and beat them.”
That may be easier said than done. Both the Bears and the Cardinal enter this weekend ranked in the top-seven nationally in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association poll and have rosters laden with talent.
Cal, Oregon’s Friday opponent, is particularly strong on the attack. The Bears (15-2, 5-2 Pac-12) return nearly all of their top hitters from last season’s team that reached the NCAA Tournament championship game.
“They’re the best hitting team in the conference and statistically they’re proving that,” Oregon coach Jim Moore said. “That’s going to be a huge test.”
Indeed, the No. 4 Bears lead the Pac-12 in hitting percentage at .296, and feature two of the conference’s top seven hitters. Additionally, Cal does a good job of spreading the wealth – four Bears have at least 100 kills.@@http://www.pac-12.org/Portals/7/images/wvolleyball/2011-Stats/HTML/CONFLDRS.HTM@@
To contain all that firepower, Oregon must play its usual stingy floor defense, but also improve its block.
“We need to be more disciplined blocking than we have been in the past because we have really good floor defense,” Duck freshman middle blocker Savannah Paffen said. “As long as we put up a good block we’ll be able to take care of it.”
Oregon will have a bit of help in that quest. Due to a number of ‘Beat Cal’ week related promotions, a record crowd is expected to fill the Matthew Knight Arena stands, providing extra energy to the underdog Ducks.
“It’ll be big,” Moore said of the crowd.
Oregon may not have the support of the “seventh man” Saturday night against No. 7 Stanford, but they could have an advantage in the personnel department. The Cardinal sustained huge losses from last year’s team, namely setter Cassidy Lichtman, outside hitter Alix Klineman, and libero Gabi Ailes.
It’s inevitable those departures will take a toll, said Moore.
“It’s huge,” Moore said. “Lichtman may have been the best all-around volleyball player that college volleyball has seen in a long time. She can do everything. Klineman is arguably one of the best hitters of all time and Gabi Ailes is one of the best liberos ever, obviously that’s a huge loss.”
However, as evidenced by the Cardinal’s 10-3 (4-3 Pac-12) record, it hasn’t been a debilitating one. Several players have stepped up in the trio’s absence, particularly middle blocker Carly Wopat, who is fifth in the conference in hitting percentage and first in blocks per set, and outside hitter Rachel Williams, who leads her team in kills with 218.@@http://www.stanforddaily.com/2011/10/06/w-volleyball-card-hopes-to-keep-win-streak-alive/@@
Stanford’s defense has also been strong. The Cardinal rank first in the Pac-12 in both blocks and digs, and fourth in opponent’s hitting percentage. While only fifth in the conference in hitting percentage, Stanford’s offense does a good job of avoiding mistakes – the Cardinal have committed the third-fewest hitting errors in the conference.@@http://www.gostanford.com/sports/w-volley/spec-rel/092011aaa.html@@
It all adds up to a tough test for Oregon.
“I think that they have really good hitters that terminate the ball and really low errors,” Paffen said. “They’re really disciplined.”