Ducks Take Undefeated Record to Baylor Invitational

Oregon captured its third consecutive Oregon Kickoff Classic title at its annual season-opening tournament last Saturday.

Photo courtesy: goducks.com

EUGENE, Ore. - Oregon will be the only undefeated team heading into this weekend’s Baylor Invitational in Waco, Texas.

The Ducks first test is set for 2:00 p.m. (PST) Friday against Mississippi State (2-1) at the Ferrell Center.

On Saturday, Oregon will play two matches, first against Stephen F. Austin (1-2) at 9:00 a.m. (PST) and lastly against host Baylor at 5:00 p.m. (PST).

BRIEF RECAP

Oregon captured its third consecutive Oregon Kickoff Classic title at its annual season-opening tournament last Saturday.

The Ducks quickly dispatched Idaho State in three games (30-7, 30-19, 30-13) in both teams’ season openers on Friday night. Oregon set a new program record by holding the Bengals to just seven points in the first game.

The Ducks had an early wake up call on Saturday morning, but again did quick work in a three-match victory over Cal State Bakersfield (30-15, 30-20, 30-28).

Heading into the final match, the title was up for grabs between Oregon and Kansas as both teams entered the finale with 2-0 records.

Oregon extended its winning streak to three matches and its game-winning streak to nine, defeating the Big XII’s Jayhawks 30,20, 30-20, 30-20).

KICKOFF HONORS

Sophomore Sonja Newcombe - coach Moore’s first Volleyball Magazine ‘Fab 50’ recruit at Oregon - helped the Ducks’ transformation last season in the Pac-10 Conference, and the Lake Arrowhead, Calif., native did not disappoint to start her sophomore campaign.

The 6-foot-1 middle blocker was named Tournament MVP after averaging 4.39 points, 3.89 kills, 2.56 digs and 0.89 blocks per game to go along with a .378 hitting percentage.

Also named to the all-tournament team from Oregon was junior Gorana Maricic, junior Katie Swoboda and freshman Heather Meyers.

HEAD COACH JIM MOORE

Third-year head coach Jim Moore became the first Oregon volleyball coach to win Pac-10 Coach of the Year Honors after leading the Ducks to their best overall (17-12) and conference (7-11) marks in nearly two decades.

Moore, in his 19th year as a collegiate head coach, began UO’s transformation in 2005 by leading the Ducks to their highest win total (12) and winning percentage (.400) in 14 seasons.

Moore has compiled an overall mark of 384-186 (.674) during a career that has also included stops at Northern Michigan, Kansas State, Texas and Chico State. His 1993 Northern Michigan team won the NCAA II National Championship.

SCOUTING MISSISSIPPI STATE

Similar to Oregon, Mississippi State began its season hosting a three-match tournament, the MSU Microtel Classic.

The Bulldogs advanced to the finale after victories over Murray State, 3-0 (30-27, 30-25, 33-21) and Arkansas-Little Rock 3-1, (30-21, 30-26, 27-30, 31-29) but were defeated on their home floor in the title match by Clemson, 3-1 (24-30, 30-23, 30-12, 30-14).

SCOUTING STEPHEN F. AUSTIN

The defending Southland Conference champions advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2006, but in their first weekend of 2007 have already accumulated half the losses they had all last season.

The Ladyjacks finished 2006 with a 31-4 record, but suffered some bumps in the road last weekend finishing with a 1-2 record at the Creighton Tournament.

In the first match against Montana State, SFA had five players with double figures in kills en route to a 3-1 (20-30, 30-19, 30-18, 30-27) victory.

Against the reigning Sun Belt champions of Middle Tennessee State, the Ladyjacks had two game-point opportunities, but were swept (32-30, 30-19, 33-31).

Host Creighton then edged SFA in three games (30-23, 30-20, 30-16) to close out the tournament.

SCOUTING BAYLOR

Baylor returns home after a trip New York for the University at Buffalo Classic.

In their first match the Bears swept by Buffalo in three games (30-10, 30-18, 32-30) and picked up their second win with a 3-1 victory over North Carolina (30-21, 25-30, 30-20, 30-22).

Baylor then hit a snag in the championship match against Stony Brook falling 3-2 (21-30, 34-36, 30-25, 30-26, 15-13). Katie Sanders leads the team with 4.92 kills per game.

SERIES HISTORY

The meeting on Friday between Mississippi State and Oregon will be a first for the programs.

The Ducks will also face a new opponent in Stephen F. Austin, and it will only be the third meeting for Baylor and Oregon, but the first in the rally-scoring era.

In fact the last time these programs met, the 2007 freshman class was beginning kindergarten (1994).

In that match Oregon won 3-1 (15-6, 15-10, 9-15, 15-10), and three years earlier the Ducks were victorious in three (15-11, 15-4, 15-11).

THE PRESEASON

Since head coach Jim Moore’s arrival, Oregon has been only one-match short of flawless in non-conference matches, culminating a 24-1 record during three seasons.

His .960 winning percentage against non-conference competition is easily the best of any previous Oregon volleyball coach.

TUNE-UPS

It will be a difficult task for Moore to keep up that winning percentage in 2007, scheduling the most demanding non-conference lineup since coming to Eugene.

The schedule includes two teams from the Big 12 (Kansas and Baylor) as well as three 2006 NCAA Tournament teams (Stephen F. Austin, Purdue and Ohio State).

After hosting its annual Kickoff Classic, Oregon travels to the Baylor Invitational in Waco, Texas to play Mississippi State, Stephen F. Austin and host Baylor.

In September, Oregon will also have a tough test at the Big Ten/Pac-10 challenge, hosted by Ohio State.

The Buckeyes were ranked 16th in the CSTV/AVCA Preseason Division I Top 25 Coaches’ poll. The Ducks second opponent in that tournament, Purdue, was ranked 13th in the poll.

DARING DEBUTS

A total of six players made their debuts in an Oregon uniform at the Kickoff Classic.

Juniors Gorana Maricic and Kristen Forristall started all three matches, along with freshman Heather Meyers.

In addition, freshman setter Rachel Morris appeared in all nine games, while freshman Coco Yokoyama and junior Marija Milosevic saw limited action.

IT’S A G THING

Junior Gorana Maricic redshirted in 2006 after transferring from Division II Northwood University where she was an AVCA second-team All-American, and it was apparent last weekend at the Kickoff Classic that she had been itching for some court time.

After three matches, Maricic leads the team in kills per game (4.56) and points per game (4.89). She reached double figures in kills in all three matches, including 16 against Idaho State in the season opener.

NEW KID ON THE BLOCK

Maricic wasn’t the only player sitting out last year, beside her was junior Kristen Forristall.

The Oregon City native sat out last year after ending her collegiate basketball career and making the switch to volleyball.

Before the start of the season, head coach Jim Moore said that there are not many volleyball players with Forristall’s athleticism, and the six-foot-two outside hitter proved her coach right this weekend.

Forristall is averaging 3.33 points per game, and leads the team with 1.67 blocks per game, including a team-best two solos. She also leads the team with a .474 hitting percentage.

JUST TWO SHORT

Last year Oregon had a span of 10 consecutive games won from Sept. 1 – Sept. 9, spanned across four matches. The team currently has not dropped a game in its last nine heading into the Baylor Invitational.

HARDCORE HITTER

Freshman outside hitter Heather Meyers is the second Volleyball Magazine ‘Fab 50’ recruit for Jim Moore during his time here at Oregon, with the first being Sonja Newcombe.

And just like Newcombe made a vital impact a year ago, Meyers looks to be starting her collegiate career in a similar successful fashion. The Temecula, Calif., native was named to the Kickoff Classic all-tourney team after starting all three matches and hitting .413 in that span.

The 5-foot-11 left-hander averaged 2.89 kills and 3.67 points per game. She also had four service aces.

DEJA VU

Last season, middle blocker Neticia Enesi served up four aces in the first match of the season against UC Irvine at the Kickoff Classic.

Virtually a year later, Enesi accomplished the feat again with four service aces in a three-game sweep of Idaho State on opening night.

FIRST TO 500

Junior Katie Swoboda is entering her third season as Oregon’s starting libero.

Last year she eclipsed Oregon’s single-season digs mark formerly held by Teri Kramer (1986), and in the process, became the first Duck to record 500 digs in a season.

Kramer’s 20-year mark of 452 fell in the Ducks’ match at Arizona State on Nov. 10. Even more impressive is the fact that Swoboda achieved the record in 41 fewer games (90 vs. 131).

The Portland area native, totaled 565 digs (5.28 dpg), a career best and new Oregon single-season record.

With 23 digs at No. 4 UCLA on Nov. 25, Swoboda became the seventh member of the 1,000 digs club at Oregon.

She ranks third on the career list with 1,061. The career record (1481) held by Kramer (1984-87, 467 GP) is 420 digs away.

RELYING ON RACHEL

At the beginning of the season head coach Jim Moore said his team’s ability to play a 6-2 lineup would be weighted on the ability of his freshman setters contributing immediately.

Obviously Moore sees potential in five-foot-nine setter Rachel Morris. The Manhattan Beach, Calif., averaged 4.89 assists per game in her first weekend of collegiate competition.

PAC-10 RECAP

Five teams in the Pac-10; Stanford (2), USC (4), UCLA (5), Washington (8), and California (11) are currently ranked in the CSTV/AVCA top 25 poll, while an additional three teams are receiving votes; Oregon State (35), Arizona (38) and Oregon (39).

After the first weekend of play five teams have undefeated records of 3-0.

Along with the Ducks; California, USC, Washington and Washington State won all three of their matches last week.

Stanford, played just won match, cruising by Long Beach State (30-26, 30-19, 30-27).

Arizona went 2-1 hosting the Sheraton Four Points Wildcat Classic, and Oregon State also finished 2-1 at the Asics Rainbow Wahine Classic, including a win over No. 10 Hawai’I in three games.

UCLA went 1-1, defeating No. 21 Utah, but falling 3-1 to defending champion Nebraska. Arizona State was winless at the UNLV Classic.

PAC-10 Coaches’ POLL

For the second straight season, Stanford was predicted to win the Pac-10 Volleyball title by the league’s coaches.

The Cardinal, who won their 10th Pac-10 title and reached the NCAA national championship match last year, return three All-Americans this season.

Stanford claimed 89 points, 12 more than second-place USC, including eight of the ten first-place votes. Oregon was picked to finish seventh.

“A preseason poll is exactly that,” Moore said. “Last year we were selected eighth, and ended up finishing better than that. Now we have to go out and play the games. It doesn’t matter if we are picked at the top or at the bottom of the poll, we have to play the best we can.”

1. Stanford (8) 89

2. USC (1) 77

3. UCLA (1) 75

4. Washington 71

5. California 57

6. Arizona 46

7. Oregon 42

8. Arizona State 33

9. Oregon State 26

10. Washington State 24

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