The Oregon Club Sports volleyball team did it again.
After defeating Purdue to claim the 2001 National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association Championship, the women from Oregon defended their trophy with honor. So much honor, in fact, that they took the 2002 championship as well, held in Dallas.
“We were the team that everybody hated, and everyone wanted to knock us out because we were not supposed to win,” team coordinator Stacey Terry said. “It was a different feeling this time. We were the ones on top who had to stay on top.”
The Ducks defeated Miami of Ohio to claim this year’s championship in the gold bracket, taking the final match in three sets (25-22, 17-25, 15-10).
On their way to winning the second title, the Ducks had to win nine matches in three days, including four on the tournament’s final day, April 20. Their win over Florida on the final day included a first-game win of 25-0.
“We have always known we would go back and have a chance to run at it again,” Terry said. “We knew we could do it again and just needed to do it at that time.”
With the win also comes top honors. Oregon, headed by fifth-year coach Cody Banner, claimed the Tournament MVP as well as three all-tournament players.
Senior Carli Halligan, who earned an all-tournament selection in last season’s tournament, was honored as the top player in the 2002 version. She is joined by senior Annie Pogue, last season’s MVP, and senior Nicki Daman as all-tournament selections.
“The club team tends to attract very strong players who want that high level of play,” said Club Sports coordinator Sandra Vaughn. “(The championship) brings a lot of credit to the club program. I think this speaks highly of the players and coach.”
Next season may be a challenge for the Ducks to claim their third straight championship. Of the nine players on this season’s squad, five will be graduating, including Halligan, Pogue and Daman, as well as Terry and fellow senior Tina Austinson.
The Ducks, however, will return juniors Jessica Mae Van Ourkerk and Heidi Swanson, sophomore Nina Bakos and freshman Christina Chun.