Notes: No. 12 Ducks Head to Mountain Schools

Friday, September 29

Salt Lake City, UT

5:00 PM

University of Oregon

Utah

Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com

09/27/17 | Women's Volleyball

Notes: #15 Utah, Colorado Buy Volleyball Tickets

The 12th-ranked Ducks will face a tough road trip this weekend, playing No. 15 Utah on Friday (5 p.m., Pac-12 Networks) in their second straight top-15 match before facing Colorado on Saturday (6 p.m.)

By: Nate Krueger

EUGENE, Ore. - After opening their Pac-12 schedule with a sweep of Oregon State and a tough four-set loss at then-No. 11 UCLA, the 12th-ranked Ducks stay on the road this weekend and face a tough task with matches on back-to-back nights at No. 15 Utah (Friday, 5 p.m.) and Colorado (Saturday, 6 p.m.).

The Ducks (8-2, 1-1 Pac-12) will look to rebound from last Friday's loss to the Bruins and get back to their winning ways after having their seven-match winning streak snapped.

HOW TO FOLLOW
The Ducks' match against the No. 15 Utes (11-2, 2-0 Pac-12) on Friday will be broadcast live on Pac-12 Networks, with Thad Anderson (pxp) and Amy Gant (analyst) on the call. Saturday's match against the Buffaloes (10-3, 0-2 Pac-12) will not be on television, but there will be a free live stream available at Pac-12.com/live/cubuffs. Live stats for both matches can be found at oregon.statbroadcast.com, and live updates will be provided during all matches on Twitter via @OregonVB.

WEEKLY INTERVIEWS:
Head Coach Matt Ulmer

Lindsey Vander Weide, Junior Outside Hitter

Ronika Stone, Sophomore Middle Blocker

DUCKS SPLIT TO OPEN PAC-12 PLAY
The Ducks kicked off conference play in impressive fashion at Matthew Knight Arena last Tuesday night, sweeping Oregon State in straight sets, 25-14, 25-23, 25-19. Oregon spread the attack around against the Beavers and hit an impressive .395 as a team while holding Oregon State to a .179 clip and shutting down the Beavers' top weapon in Mary-Kate Marshall. On Friday in their first conference road match at No. 11 UCLA, the Ducks started well but were unable to contain a Bruin attack that ended up hitting .308 in a 19-25, 25-18, 25-19, 25-21 loss.

DUCKS BOASTING BALANCED ATTACK
The Oregon attack has been coming from all directions so far this season, with six players averaging better than 2.00 kills per set for a conference-leading 14.77 kills per set as a team, fifth-best in the nation. The Ducks also lead the conference with a .302 team hitting percentage while holding their opponents to a .172 clip. SO MB Ronika Stone leads the Ducks and the Pac-12 Conference with an astounding .426 hitting percentage.

ABOUT THE NO. 15 UTES
The 15th-ranked Utes beat then-No. 25 Colorado and California last week to open Pac-12 play, and they have won 10 of their last 11 entering Friday's match with the Ducks. Utah is second in the conference behind the Ducks in both hitting percentage (.299) and kills per set (14.6), and it leads the Pac-12 with 13.85 assists per set. Senior Adora Anea leads the way with 4.37 kills per set, fourth-best in the Pac-12.

ABOUT THE BUFFALOES
The Buffaloes dropped a pair of tough matches to open Pac-12 play after ending nonconference on a four-match winning streak, but played tough against a pair of top-25 teams in Utah and Stanford. CU is hitting .271 this season while holding opponents to a .201 clip (10th in P12), and will face Oregon State before hosting the Ducks. Alexa Smith (4.19 k/s) and former Duck Frankie Shebby (3.05) lead the CU attack.

DUCKS AMONG PAC-12 AND NATION'S BEST
The No. 12 Ducks have been among the best in both the Pac-12 and the nation this season, as apparent by their standing in multiple statistical rankings. Oregon leads the Pac-12 and is fifth in the nation with 14.77 kills per set, and also leads the conference and is ninth in the country in hitting percentage (.302). The Ducks are also fourth in the Pac-12 and 22nd nationally with 13.40 assists per set. Defensively, the Ducks are fourth in the conference in opponent hitting percentage (.172), and 41st in th nation in blocks per set (2.56).

STONE LEADING PAC-12 IN HITTING PERCENTAGE
Multiple Ducks are at or near the top of various Pac-12 statistical rankings through nine matches this season. SO MB Ronika Stone leads the conference and is 15th in the country with a .426 hitting percentage, while also ranking fourth in the conference with 0.40 aces per set. JR OH Lindsey Vander Weide is eighth with 3.49 kills per set and ninth with 3.91 points per set, and JR MB Sumeet Gill ranks ninth in blocks per set (1.29). SR S Maggie Scott is ninth in the conference with 6.69 assists per set.

DUCKS BECOMING TOP 15 STAPLE
Oregon has now been ranked in the AVCA top 15 for five consecutive weeks, slotting in at No. 12 in Monday's poll. The Ducks moved into the top 10 for the first time since November 2014 last week with a No. 8 ranking before their loss at UCLA, and that ranking was the program's highest since being No. 8 in the 2013 preseason poll. Oregon's five straight weeks in the top 15 is also the longest streak since 2014.

UP NEXT
After their trip to the mountain schools, the Ducks will return home to face the defending national champion Stanford Cardinal at MKA on Friday, Oct. 6 (8 p.m., ESPNU), as Oregon attempts to break the MKA volleyball attendance record (#DriveFor6500). Oregon will then face California on Sunday, Oct. 8, at 2 p.m.