No. 22 Ducks Back In Action Against Colorado
Riding its longest conference winning streak since 2016, No. 22 Oregon is back in action after having its matches last week cancelled due to COVID-19 protocols within Utah's program when it hosts Colorado for a pair of matches, Friday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 10:30 a.m. The Ducks are coming off back-to-back dominant straight-set wins over Arizona, and currently sit in a tie for third place in the conference. Oregon leads the all-time series between the two schools, 13-7, though the Buffaloes have won four of the last five meetings.
MATCH INFO
When: Friday, February 26
Time: 2 p.m. PT
Where: Eugene, Ore. (Matthew Knight Arena)
Live Stream: Oregon Live Stream-2
Radio: KWVA 88.1 FM (PBP: Sean MacPherson, Analyst: Jonah Rosenburg)
Watch Online: https://pac-12.com/live/university-oregon-2
When: Sunday, February 28
Time: 10:30 a.m. PT
Where: Eugene, Ore. (Matthew Knight Arena)
Live Stream: Oregon Live Stream-2
Radio: KWVA 88.1 FM (PBP: Sean MacPherson, Analyst: Jonah Rosenburg)
Watch Online: https://pac-12.com/live/university-oregon-2
SERIES HISTORY
Oregon leads, 13-7
Oregon holds the advantage in the all-time series between the two schools, though Colorado has won four of the last five meetings after the Ducks won 12 of the first 15.
DID YOU KNOW?
Brooke Nuneviller is the first player ever to earn both Pac-12 offensive and defensive player of the week honors in the same week. She earned both honors after averaging 4.17 kills and 4.67 digs per set against Arizona on Feb. 12 and 14.
HIGH FIVE
Oregon's current five-match winning streak is its longest since the end of the 2018 regular season into the NCAA Tournament. The Ducks have also won five straight conference matches for the first time since the end of the 2015 season into 2016. As a team, Oregon is out-hitting opponents .264-.161 while owning a 44-25 advantage in total blocks over the five matches.
SIX UP, SIX DOWN
The Ducks dominated Arizona on the way to a pair of straight-set victories this past weekend, sweeping the season series with the Wildcats for the first time since 2012. Oregon out-hit the Wildcats, .344-.120 over the two matches while averaging 14.3 kills per set and owning a 17-5 blocking advantage. The Ducks also held Arizona under 20 points in five of the six sets.
FIFTH SET MAGIC
The only Pac-12 team to win at least three five-set matches this season, Oregon has won the deciding set convincingly in each of those three wins. The Ducks have won the fifth set by a score of 15-8 in each of the three victories and have dominated the stat sheets as well. Oregon has held its opponents to a .000 hitting percentage in the fifth set while hitting .281 as a team.
BREAK OUT THE SPATULAS
One of Oregon's strengths so far this season has been its defense. The Ducks currently have three players averaging over 2.50 digs per set on the season, with all three in the top 20 of the conference. Brooke Nuneviller and Georgia Murphy are currently the only pair of teammates averaging at least 3.00 digs per set this season with Nuneviller in sixth and Murphy in eighth. Taylor Borup is 16th with 2.63 digs per set.
ONE AND ONLY
Since moving to outside hitter at the start of last season, junior Brooke Nuneviller has established herself as one of the most versatile players in the country. She is currently the only player in the conference to be averaging at least 2.50 kills and 3.50 digs per set this season after being the only one to do it last year. Nuneviller also became the first ever player to earn Pac-12 offensive and defensive player of the week honors in the same week, receiving both honors following a weekend sweep of Arizona on Feb. 12 and 14. The conference started honoring both an offensive and defensive player of the week in 2011.
DOING IT ALL
Brooke Nuneviller has picked up where she left off last year, putting on a strong all-around performance through the first eight matches of 2021. She is the only player in the conference to lead her team in both kills and digs per set and has recorded seven double-doubles in the first eight matches. Nuneviller is also averaging 0.38 blocks per set and has led the team in attack attempts in each of the eight matches.
BIG-TIME ADDITION
One of the biggest additions to the Oregon roster this past offseason has not disappointed through her first eight matches as a Duck. Junior transfer Gloria Mutiri is currently second on the team with 2.47 kills per set and 79 total kills while hitting .292. In Sunday's win over Arizona, she recorded nine kills, seven of which came in a monster second-set performance, while hitting .381 overall for the match. Mutiri finished with a team-high 14 kills in a win over USC on Feb. 7 after tying for the team-lead with 11 on Feb. 5 against the Trojans. She turned in a big-time performance in Oregon's first win of the season against Washington State, finishing with a match-high 15 kills on 32 attempts while hitting .313. Mutiri came through in the clutch in the victory, putting down four kills in the fifth set of that match.