The Ducks made it to the Final Four last season when Oregon’s volleyball program went on a 14-game winning streak. Ten years from now, these milestones may be within reach again.
The Ducks kick off the 2022 NCAA Tournament on Friday, hosting Loyola Marymount at Matthew Knight Arena at 7 p.m. This fall, he set a program record of 17 wins in Pac-12 play. Oregon brought his 13th straight win to the postseason. This was the longest for the Ducks since his 2012 Final Four team, and the 2010 team started the season with his 14-0 record.
The disappointment of last season’s NCAA Tournament first-round loss to Kansas cast a heavy shadow over the Ducks. But so is the high level at which they have played throughout this season.
‘We know we’re not invincible,’ says UO coach Matt Ulmer Said. “But if you do your best, you can beat anyone.”
The Ducks (23-5) entered 2022 with dreams of their first Pac-12 title, dominating longtime conference powerhouses Stanford at home on September 25, clinching their You have taken a step towards your goal. Despite losing in conference play, Oregon’s only problem was that the setters lost three games in a row in mid-October. Hannah Pukis More importantly, when the UO women endured uncharacteristically bad play from the service line.
However, Oregon regained its winning ways at UCLA on October 16, beginning a 13-game winning streak going into Friday night.Dax is proud of his newly crowned Pac-12 Freshman of the Year as a hitter Mimi Colliera senior star who can do anything Brooke Nuneviller And a complementary roster of productions that made practice as competitive as the game this season.
“We’re a really mature team. So I don’t think I’m nervous personally, but I’m excited to start playing.”
Nuneviller was a freshman on Oregon State’s 2018 Elite Eight team. She knows her elation in helping Dax upset hosts Minnesota in that tournament’s Sweet 16, and she knows her disappointment at losing to Purdue in the Spring 2021 Sweet 16. I’m here. First match last fall.
Throughout this season’s sustained success, the Ducks have talked about staying in the moment and taking each game point by point. During last year’s postseason run, they lost that focus and started thinking about the big picture, Nunebiler said.
“When we do that, we put more pressure on ourselves,” Nunebiler said. It depends on what we do. Court.”
I’m not saying Oregon is unprepared for enemy tendencies. Ulmer said the Loyola Marymount does both offense and defense, something the Ducks haven’t seen much of in the Pac-12. .
But Thursday was all about the ducks, ready to do what they wanted to do at a high level.
“I like a lot of what we do. I think it sets us up for tournament success,” Ulmer said. “Now we just go out and run.”
The Ducks have not been perfect during their 13-game winning streak, but they have won again and again. They swept his No. 19 Washington at home on Nov. 4, coming back from two set downs before he beat Colorado away a week later, and on Nov. 20 he won at home against USC. His second reverse in his ten days scored his sweep.
“The toughest teams are the furthest away,” said Nunebiler. “And we’ve seen this team be very gritty all season.”
This gave Oregon the right to host tournament play this weekend. The tournament ends at 7 p.m. Saturday night and culminates in a match between his two winners on Friday for a spot in next week’s Sweet 16.
“We love playing at MKA” UO seniors Gloria Mutiri Said. “We were undefeated here, so you know. Just the fans and the crowd, they’re always into it, watching all the greens and yellows — yeah, I know this place is ready.” Excited to see you in the tournament.”
Mtiri, Nunebilah, carson bacon It was honored on Senior Day last week when the Ducks swept Oregon State to close out the regular season. For Nuneviller, his likely four-time U.S. Championship-winning career is coming to an end, but hopefully not in the next few weeks.
“I don’t think it hit me yet,” she said. I’m trying to enjoy every day I play, and I’m sure it’ll work out as we go further in tournaments… But we’re just taking one game at a time and seeing what happens from there. ”
