Ducks Upend Arizona State

Oregon hosts Arizona on Friday, looking to end a 15-match drought against the Wildcats dating back to 1998.

Photo: goducks.com

EUGENE - The University of Oregon volleyball team won for the third time in four Pac-10 matches, taking down Arizona State, 3-1, on Thursday night at McArthur Court.

The Ducks (13-3, 3-3 Pac-10) snapped a 16-match losing streak against the Sun Devils (9-8, 1-5), winning by scores of 30-22, 25-30, 30-28 and 30-24.

“We played nervous, but in the end we came through and that was big for us,” second-year head coach Jim Moore said.

Oregon had every right to be nervous, considering the Ducks have not won more than two Pac-10 matches in a season since 1998 and they were going for their third victory in a span of less than two weeks.

After winning the opening set and coughing up a lead in Game 2, UO fought back from a 21-15 ASU advantage in Game 3 to take a 2-1 edge and shift the momentum of the match for good.

“We always have each others’ back,” senior Kristen Bitter said. “If one person has an off night, someone else will step up.”

Bitter, who had five blocks, helped Oregon to a massive advantage at the net as the Ducks registered 23.0 total team blocks to 10.0 for the Sun Devils.

Freshman Sonja Newcombe, sophomore Mira Djuric and junior Karen Waddington had eight total blocks apiece, and senior Erin Little chipped in with seven.

On the attack, Newcombe led the way with a match-high 16 kills to go with 15 digs and a match-best 20.0 points. Djuric and freshman hitter Neticia Enesi each finished with 12 kills.

Four Ducks cracked double digits in digs led by sophomore libero Katie Swoboda’s 23. Freshman Nevena Djordjevic tallied a career-high 17.

Senior hitter Nicole Morton paced ASU with 15 kills and 16.0 points. Junior libero Sydney Donahue had a match-high 31 digs.

QUACK TRACKS: FR S Lindsey Stone made her first career start ... The last time UO had a .500 or better record in Pac-10 play was 1990 ... Oregon’s last win vs. ASU was a five-set affair on Nov. 15, 1997, at Mac Court ... The Ducks hit .181 as a team compared to .084 for the Sun Devils ... Oregon’s 13 wins are the most since 14 in 1991.

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