EUGENE, Ore. — Oregon (15-13, 6-12 BigTen) women’s volleyball hosted its last home game at Matthew Knight Arena against Michigan (21-8, 11-7 Big Ten) this Saturday. The Ducks had faced the USC Trojans days prior and succumbed to an unfortunate loss. Oregon hoped to win Saturday's game in order to bring it home for the Ducks one last time.
Early on in the first set, it was a back-and-forth fight. Every time Michigan managed to get on the scoreboard, Oregon answered back with a kill and vice versa. Errors such as service errors, passing mistakes and missed attacks are what caused the back-and-forth limbo state.
Scrappy plays and scrambling for the ball defined the first set. The ball was everywhere, and wherever the ball went, the Ducks followed. Amazing plays started by senior Cora Taylor and executed by Alanah Clemente, Valentina Vaulet and Sophia Meyers are what kept Oregon in the game. Other players, such as freshmen Reese Sheppard and Natalie Fukumoto, kept the ball up for the Ducks during high-tension moments, shadowing their blockers and being ready in the corners for those deep balls.
When Taylor went to serve late in the first, the Ducks managed to get on a five-point streak. Ball after ball, the Ducks managed to outsmart the Wolverines and establish a big lead. But, eventually Michigan managed to catch up and tie it up at 18-18, forcing head coach Trent Kersten to take a time out when they managed to get ahead at 20-18.
Much like Wednesday’s game, the first set went beyond the normal 25 points. Michigan ended up taking the first set, 27-25, from an attack error made by Vaulet. Despite the Wolverines taking the first set, the Ducks made it known that they were still in the game going into the second.
“Val had a really nice match tonight,” Kersten said. “She was definitely a highlight for us, and she did a great job all around. Pretty much in every phase of the game, this was one of Valentina’s best matches.”
Starting early in the second set, the Ducks put extra effort into their plays and played smart. Every ball was placed strategically, and no ball went untouched. A major block by Vaulet and Holley McFadden put Oregon up at 14-6 against Michigan. The entire arena cheered as it happened, shouting “Let’s Go Ducks!” throughout Matthew Knight.
A huge play by the Ducks caused even more chaos as McFadden managed to push the ball onto the Wolverines’ side after jousting for the ball, her turning to her teammates and cheering as the ball hit the floor, putting them at 19-9. A long rally happened prior to the point, and the ball was bouncing back and forth between both teams. The entire arena was out of its seats by the time McFadden earned the point. Something clearly shifted for the Ducks coming into the second set, and all hoped they would continue to carry it into the third.
After a series of errors, Oregon took the second set 25-18 with a kill from Vaulet. The Ducks let some points slip past them, but that didn’t stop them from trying their best to end the set in a win.
The third was a bit of a rocky start for Oregon. Multiple errors were made on the Ducks’ side, and they struggled to establish momentum despite their win and efforts in the second. The Wolverines managed to give themselves a comfortable gap at 15-11, seeming to have fed off of Oregon’s energy in the second and transferred it to the third for themselves
The energy switch was jarring and obvious. The Ducks lacked the energy they needed to put themselves ahead in the set, and all of their plays were stiff and tense, a mix that does not go together in volleyball. The Wolverines ended up taking the third set with 25-14 with a kill from Allison Jacobs.
“One of the lessons of playing high-level volleyball is you can’t love the game conditionally when you’re just playing well,” Kerstan said. “You’ve got to really love it when you’re grinding out and it’s ugly and complex. I think we really struggled with that during this match, and it showed. It’s just another thing to improve on.”
The beginning of the fourth set didn’t seem much different from the previous one. Oregon took its time in establishing momentum and getting its energy back. Eventually, the Ducks took their time with the ball and began to play strategically once more.
Cheers and loud clapping came from the stands, celebrating the reversal of an out call for Oregon. The ball soared deep into the back court and touched the back line, being mistaken for out. The monumental kill by Clemente put the Ducks at 18-16 once the call was reversed.
Michigan ended up taking the fourth with 27-25, a devastating loss for Oregon. Clemente had hit the ball too wide and out of bounds, closing off the last home game with a loss for the Ducks.
“Having an optimistic lens is a big piece of advice I give my players,” Kersten said. “Especially for next week. With the resume that we built, we have to stay focused on the things we can control.”
Oregon hits the road for its last set of games of the season against Rutgers on Wednesday at 1 p.m. and Maryland on Friday at 10 a.m.