Ducks Wrap Home Schedule By Hosting Cal
Winners of 10 of the last 11 matches, No. 16 Oregon will look to stay in the hunt for the Pac-12 title when it closes out the home schedule with a pair of matches vs. California, Friday (1 p.m.) and Sunday (12 p.m.). The Golden Bears lead the all-time series between the two teams at 55-28, though Oregon has won 11 of the last 12 meetings dating back to 2013. The Ducks enter the weekend in third place in the conference, a game ahead of Washington State in the win column but a game behind in losses.
MATCH INFO
When: Friday, March 26
Time: 1 p.m. PT
Where: Eugene, Ore. (Matthew Knight Arena)
Live Stream: Oregon Live Stream - 3
Radio: KWVA 88.1 FM (PBP: Sean MacPherson)
Watch Online: https://pac-12.com/live/university-oregon-3
When: Sunday, March 28
Time: 12 p.m. PT
Where: Eugene, Ore. (Matthew Knight Arena)
Live Stream: Oregon Live Stream - 3
Radio: KWVA 88.1 FM (PBP: Sean MacPherson)
Watch Online: https://pac-12.com/live/university-oregon-3
SERIES HISTORY
Cal leads, 55-28
California holds a wide lead in the all-time series between the two schools, but Oregon has dominated lately, winning 11 of the last 12 meetings dating back to 2013 including six of the last seven meetings in Eugene.
DID YOU KNOW?
Brooke Nuneviller is one of just five players nationally and the only one at a Power 5 school currently averaging at least 3.60 kills and 3.70 digs per set.
RIVALRY SWEEP
Oregon took a pair of matches against its rival Oregon State over the weekend, winning in five sets on Friday before sweeping Sunday's match. The Ducks rallied from down 7-4 in set five Friday to win the deciding set 15-12, then made much quicker work of the Beavers Sunday, holding them to a .147 hitting percentage. Oregon averaged 14.3 kills per set over the weekend while holding OSU to a .152 hitting percentage.
WELL-ROUNDED ATTACK
Going into the final two weeks of the regular season, Oregon is the only Pac-12 team to rank in the top three of the conference in kills, digs and blocks per set. The Ducks have gotten it done in all facets of the game this year, leading the conference in digs per set (15.9), while sitting third in kills per set (13.3) and fourth in blocks per set (2.3).
DEFENSE STEPPING UP
Heading into the final two weekends of the season, Oregon ranks among the Pac-12 leaders in three of the major defensive stat categories. The Ducks are in the top four of the conference in digs per set (1st), blocks per set (3rd) and opponent hitting percentage (4th).
FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS
Over the last eight matches, Oregon's offense has been humming, averaging 15.17 kills per set and hitting .261 over that stretch. The Ducks are also averaging 13.86 assists per set in those matches and have hit over .300 in a match three times in that span. The Ducks' 82 kills against Washington on March 7 are tied for the most in a match nationally this year while the 61 kills in a sweep of Colorado on Feb. 26 are the most in a three-set match this season nationally and the most by a Pac-12 team in a sweep since 2014, when the Ducks had 62 against Oregon State. Additionally, the 76 assists vs. the Huskies on March 7 are the most in the NCAA in a match this year while Oregon has had 18-plus kills in eight individual sets over the last eight.
FIFTH SET MAGIC
The only Pac-12 team to win at least five five-set matches this season, Oregon has dominated in the deciding set of those matches, upping its defensive intensity to hold opponents to a -.009 hitting percentage in the fifth set. The Ducks are also outscoring opponents 75-46 in the fifth set this season.
BREAK OUT THE SPATULAS
Oregon is currently the only team in the Pac-12 to have two players in the top 10 of the conference in digs per set. The Ducks are also one of two teams in the league to have four players averaging at least 2.40 digs per set. Brooke Nuneviller and Georgia Murphy are the only pair of Pac-12 teammates averaging at least 3.00 digs per set this season with Nuneviller fifth in the league and Murphy in eighth. Additionally, Taylor Borup is at 2.55 digs per set while Kylie Robinson is averaging 2.42 digs per set.
DOING IT ALL
Brooke Nuneviller has established herself as one of the best all-around players in the country since the start of last season. She is one of only five players nationally - and the only one at a Power 5 school - averaging at least 3.60 kills and 3.70 digs per set. Last year she was the only Pac-12 player to average over 2.50 kills and 3.50 digs per set. Additionally, Nuneviller is the only player in the conference to lead her team in both kills and digs. She also leads the Pac-12 with 12 double-doubles in the first 14 matches, three more than the player with the second most and has double-figure kills in all but one match and double-figure digs in all but one match. Earlier in the year, Nuneviller became first player in Pac-12 history to win both offensive and defensive player of the week honors following wins over Arizona on Feb. 12 and 14. The conference began honoring offensive and defensive players of the week separately in 2011.
HISTORIC EFFORT
In Oregon's match vs. Washington on March 7, Brooke Nuneviller turned in an unforgettable performance, putting down 35 kills on 65 swings with just one hitting error vs. Washington on March 7. She is the first Pac-12 player in the rally scoring era to have at least 35 kills in a match with one or fewer errors while her kills total ranks seventh all-time at Oregon and second in the rally scoring era. Nuneviller is also the only NCAA player since at least 2014 to have 35 kills and one error in a match.
SEND IT BACK
Oregon has put up strong blocking numbers throughout the season, currently fourth in the conference averaging 2.29 blocks per set. Abby Hansen has led the blocking efforts for the Ducks, currently third in the conference with 1.29 blocks per set. She is one of two players in the Pac-12 to have nine blocks in multiple matches this year, tallying a career-high 10 vs. Colorado on Feb. 28, while recording nine at Washington State on Jan. 24. Additionally, three other Oregon players are averaging at least 0.50 blocks per set with Morgan Lewis, Karson Bacon and Gloria Mutiri all above that mark.
DOUBLE-(DOUBLE) THE FUN
Through 14 matches, Oregon players have combined for 26 double-doubles, with 14 of those coming in the last six matches. Brooke Nuneviller has one in 12 of the first 14 matches while Kylie Robinson has six, with Nuneviller achieving the feat each time with kills and digs and Robinson with assists and digs. Elise Ferreira is next with three, while Georgia Murphy and Taylor Borup each have two and Taylor Williams has one.