Duck Volleyball over Arizona Sun Devils 3-1

Number 13 Ducks turned in its fifth straight win over the Sun Devils

www.goducks.com

EUGENE, Ore. - In arguably less than workmanlike fashion, the No. 13 University of Oregon volleyball team (15-2, 3-2) overcame Arizona State (5-11, 0-4) to raise its home winning streak to eight matches Friday night with a 3-1 decision at McArthur Court.

Oregon turned in its fifth straight win over the Sun Devils thanks after a 19-25, 25-15, 28-26, 25-21 final outcome - also sixth-year head coach Jim Moore's seventh victory in the series after ASU won 16 straight from 1998-2005.

“We served and passed well," Moore said, "but we didn't hit consistently, especially in the first set, and also got seriously edged in blocking. ASU played hard, and it was a gutsy win for us. Our timing was off, and I imagine we have some players that are a little frustrated, but we found a way to get another Pac-10 win, and that’s all that matters. That said, we need to come back and play better tomorrow night.”

The Ducks featured four hitters with +10 kills for the fourth time this year, thanks to the performances of redshirt sophomore Alaina Bergsma (.342, 19 kills), senior Heather Meyers (15 kills), sophomore Katherine Fischer (14 kills) and freshman Ariana Williams (12 kills, .304).

Entering the match ranked second nationally in service aces, Meyers tied her career high in a match (6) that she notched twice before this season that also ranked fifth-most in a match for UO. The Temecula, Calif., native had been shutout in aces in three of the last four matches, and conversely, her 44 aces overall in ’10 are only three shy of the 10th-best mark in a season for Oregon.

Freshman setter Lauren Plum logged her second career double-double with her season-high 12 digs and 54 assists - and the latter was one off her season high that came in five sets at Portland State.

Fischer added 10 digs for her 10th double-digit dig total of the campaign and raised her conference-leading tally of double-doubles to nine this year (and 13 career-wise).

Sophomore libero Haley Jacob paced UO in digs (22) for the 14th time this year and was only two shy of her season and career high (24) that came in five sets at Seattle.

Among other season statistical notes for Duck category leaders, Bergsma paced UO in kills and hitting for the third time in both this season, Meyers led the team in aces and points for the 11th and 10th occasions, and sophomore Jocelyn Levig’s two blocks led UO for the sixth time.

Team-wise, ASU logged 17 blocks - a season high for a Duck opponent after Cal registered 16 last weekend in a three-set match - and outhit UO .241-.192 after the Ducks managed a .036 average in the first set. In contrast, Oregon held final advantages in kills (65-44), aces (10-1), digs (63-59) and assists (59-42).

Sun Devil category leaders included Danica Mendivil (16 kills, 17 points, .359), Cat Highmark (37 assists), Sarah Johnson (14 digs) and Sonja Markanovich (8 blocks).

In other action around the Pac-10 Friday night, Arizona won 3-2 at Oregon State; No. 9 Washington swept Washington State in Seattle; No. 1 Stanford won 3-1 at No. 8 USC; and No. 7 California won 3-1 at No. 12 UCLA.

Looking ahead, Oregon returns to action Saturday night to host Arizona (13-4, 2-2) at 7 p.m. at McArthur Court, and fans that wear a volleyball jersey to the match get in for $1.

Adding comments to these stories has been disabled. View the current sports stories Salem-News Sports