University of Oregon
Arizona State
Ducks Thwarted by Arizona State, 3-1
11/26/05 | Women's Volleyball
EUGENE, Ore. ? The University of Oregon volleyball team closed out its 2005 season Saturday, rallying to force a fourth game before falling to Arizona State at McArthur Court, 30-26, 30-26, 32-34, 30-27.
The outcome overshadowed the final Mac Court appearances by outgoing seniors Jaclyn Jones, Kim McNally and Kelly Russell, who helped the program to a 12-win season for the first time since 1991.
ASU (8-20, 3-15 Pac-10) may have appeared to be the underdog in the match based on overall record, but in reality the Sun Devils have won 33 of 40 conference meetings with the Ducks (12-18, 1-17), including the last 16 in a row.
The loss didn't diminish two significant individual accomplishments for Russell and freshman libero Katie Swoboda. With a team-high 15 kills, Russell finished tied for fifth on the career kills list with 1,283. Swoboda posted a season-high 33 digs in the match and finished the year with 448 ? the second most for a single season in school history.
Freshman hitter Mira Djuric and junior blocker Kristen Bitter posted 12 kills apiece for the Ducks, and junior setter Heather Madison had 11 digs to go with 30 assists.
Djuric had one service ace, ending the year with 59 to rank tied for fourth in the UO single-season record book.
Arizona State's Nicole Morton led all players with 22 kills. Libero Sydney Donahue matched Swoboda with 33 digs for the Sun Devils.
The Ducks trailed 24-21 in the opening set before battling back to even the score at 24-all. The Sun Devils scored six of the final eight points, capping the win with a service ace by Margie Giordano.
Like Game 1, Oregon got off to a quick 5-1 start and was tied at 24-24 in the second stanza before going down by a final of 30-26 on an ace by ASU.
Facing elimination in the third game, the Ducks rallied from a 26-23 deficit, forcing four game-points before prevailing, 34-32.
Jones had a pair of huge solo blocks and Russell led the Ducks with five kills in the set. UO made up for having two fewer kills (19 to 21) by stuffing ASU at the net with seven blocks.
For the match, ASU held a 17-13 advantage on the block and out-hit the Ducks, .202 to .193.
