Oregon Kicks Off Classic with Three-Game Sweep

Friday, August 24

Eugene, Ore.

7:00 p.m.

University of Oregon

1-0

Idaho State

0-1

Idaho State

Oregon

Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com

08/24/07 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

By: GoDucks.com

EUGENE, Ore. ? The Oregon volleyball team looks ready to follow up its record-breaking season from a year ago, making quick work of Idaho State in both teams' season opener, sweeping the Bengals in three games (30-7, 30-19, 30-13) at the Oregon Kickoff Classic.

While the usual crew of Sonja Newcombe, Katie Swoboda and Nevena Djordjevic shined, it was Oregon's newcomers that made the largest impact on the night.

Junior Gorana Maricic, a 2005 second-team All-American who transferred to Oregon from Northwood University, led the Ducks with 16 kills, hitting .371.

Overall Oregon hit .419 as a team, while newcomers junior Kristen Forristall and freshman Heather Meyers also played significant minutes in their first career starts.

Forristall, who has not played an official volleyball match since high school, hit .538 and totaled eight kills and four block assists, while Meyers, a left-hander and head coach Jim Moore's second Volleyball Magazine ?Fab 50' recruit at Oregon, had a .600 attacking percentage and totaled 10 kills.

Newcombe, coming off a stellar freshman season, started off her sophomore campaign with 12 kills, while Djordjevic had 31 assists.

Moore is now 22-2 in non-conference matches at Oregon and 3-0 in season openers. The Ducks also hold a 4-2 series lead over the Bengals.

Freshman setter Rachel Morris also saw some time on the floor, with 16 assists and eight digs.

Sophomore Neticia Enesi matched her career high with four of Oregon's six service aces in the match.

Swoboda controlled the defense with 23 digs, while Maricic added 12 digs along with Djordjevic.

Idaho State hit .009 in the match, and Charlee Kinghorn led the Bengals with five kills.

In the first game of the night, Kansas defeated Cal State Bakersfield, 3-1 (30-23, 30-27, 25-30, 31-29).

The tournament continues tomorrow with Oregon taking on Cal State Bakersfield at 10 a.m. The second game of the day will feature Kansas and Idaho State at 12:30 p.m.. Idaho State will take the floor again against Cal State Bakersfield at 4:30 p.m., and Kansas and Oregon will close the tourney with the final match at 7 p.m.