Ducks Set To Get Back On the Beach
THIS WEEK
After going nearly a year between matches, Oregon will kick off its 2021 beach season with a pair of matches in the Bay Area on Friday, taking on California at 9 a.m. and Saint Mary's at 2 p.m. The Ducks finished 2020 3-5 before the COVID-19 pandemic cut the season short in March and were off to the best start in the program's short history.
MATCH INFO
When: Friday, Feb. 26, 9 a.m.
Where: Berkeley, Calif.
Who: at California
When: Friday, Feb. 26, 2 p.m.
Where: Moraga, Calif.
Who: at Saint Mary's
DUCKS OFF TO BEST START IN YOUNG PROGRAM'S HISTORY
Oregon got off to the best start in the seven-year history of the program last year, going 3-2 through the first five matches and finishing the shortened season at 3-5. It was the first time in the program's young history that the Ducks won at least three of the first eight matches of the season, while the three wins were the second-most in a season in school history. The Ducks won their opening match of the season with a 4-1 victory over Santa Clara on Feb. 21 before knocking off Portland in a thrilling 3-2 on Feb. 29. Ally Haden and Savannah Siegrist are a perfect 4-0 on the year with all their wins coming in the No. 3 spot, while Zoe Almanza and Anastasia Lima are 3-1 at the No. 4 spot. The Ducks started off the final weekend of play with a 4-1 win over Utah, with Haden and Siegrist moving to a perfect 5-0 on the year and Madelyn Lafollette and Carly Wallace picking up a three-set win.
A PROGRAM ON THE RISE
Entering just its eighth year of existence, Oregon's beach program has made some leaps over the past few years towards building a potential perennial contender in the highly-competitive Pac-12. Prior to 2019, the Ducks had not won more than three dual matches in a year, but won five in 2019 to surpass the win total from the previous two seasons combined while winning three in the first eight matches last year. Oregon also hired JANICE HARRER prior to the 2019 season as associate head coach for beach volleyball, becoming the program's first-ever beach-only coach. With indoor volleyball moving to the spring this year, the 2021 roster is the first made up of entirely beach-only players. Oregon also hosted its first-ever home match in 2019, a 4-1 win over Portland, and have two more home matches on the schedule for this year.
PROGRAM HISTORY
The 2021 season marks the seventh eighth year of Oregon beach volleyball.The Ducks are 19-59-1 all-time and are coming off a 3-5 season in 2020.