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The Daily Wildcat

The Daily Wildcat

 

Ducks make UA volleyball quack in straight sets

Courtesy+of+Taylor+Wilder+%2F+Daily+EmeraldArizona+sophomore+setter+Penina+Snuka+%2820%29+and+Arizona+junior+middle+blocker+Halli+Amaro+%283%29+try+to+block+a+spike+by+Oregon+during+Arizona+s+3-0+loss+against+Oregon+at+the+Matthew+Knight+Arena+in+Eugene%2C+Ore.%2C+on+Wednesday.+The+Wildcats+lost+in+straight+sets+to+the+Ducks.

Courtesy of Taylor Wilder / Daily Emerald

Arizona sophomore setter Penina Snuka (20) and Arizona junior middle blocker Halli Amaro (3) try to block a spike by Oregon during Arizona’ s 3-0 loss against Oregon at the Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Ore., on Wednesday. The Wildcats lost in straight sets to the Ducks.

No. 15 Arizona volleyball (16-5, 5-4 Pac-12 Conference) couldn’t figure out how to stop the No. 13 Oregon Ducks (16-3, 6-3 Pac-12) as it was swept 3-0 in straight sets in Eugene, Ore., at the Matthew Knight Arena. Behind a strong offense attack, Oregon cruised to an easy defeat over the Wildcats, winning 25-17, 25-12 and 25-19.

Both teams were tied at third place in the Pac-12 rankings going into the match, but it was hardly an even competition. The Wildcats had just 31 kills, along with 22 attack errors. Overall, Arizona struggled to find any momentum at all, leaving UA volleyball head coach Dave Rubio just shaking his head in disbelief.

Leading the Wildcats were senior outside hitters Madi Kingdon and Taylor Arizobal, who had 13 and nine kills, respectively. Kingdon alone had 11 errors, a rarity for the senior, who did not appear to get in any rhythm whatsoever. On the other hand, sophomore setter Penina Snuka led the team with 14 digs. Although Kingdon has carried the Arizona team throughout the season, she was not effective against the Ducks. The UA had a .049 hitting percentage, which was uncharacteristically low for the Wildcats.

It was the third time in four games that Arizona has taken on a top-11 team, and that stretch has included one win and two losses.

For Oregon, senior outside hitter Liz Brenner and junior outside hitter Martenne Bettendorf each had 11 kills as the Ducks combined for 42 kills as a team. Additionally, Oregon’s hitting percentage trumped the Wildcats, as sophomore middle blocker Kacey Nady led all players with a .400 hitting percentage. In the end, the Ducks played better in almost every aspect of the match.

Throughout most of the match, Arizona looked completely lost on defense, which may have contributed to the stretch of four games in seven days, one of the longest trips in the Pac-12.

Oregon has won five of the last six meetings between the teams and is ranked third in the Pac-12 in kills, averaging 14.44 per set.

This season, the Wildcats normally hold opponents to a .184 hitting mark, but the Ducks made sure that didn’t happen as they posted a .295 hitting percentage mark.

Next up for the Wildcats is Oregon State at the Gill Coliseum in Corvallis, Ore., on Friday. The match will be aired on the Pac-12 Networks at 8 p.m.

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