Ducks Set To Host Hawai'i Pacific In Home Opener Friday

Friday, February 9

Eugene, Ore.

7:00 PM

University of Oregon

Hawaii Pacific

Tickets

Ducks Set To Host Hawai'i Pacific In Home Opener Friday

02/08/18 | Acrobatics & Tumbling

Meet Notes

EUGENE, Ore. - There will be a lot of shared history at Matthew Knight Arena Friday evening, as the Oregon acrobatics and tumbling team welcomes head coach Keenyn Won's former school and No. 5 ranked Hawai'i Pacific in the Ducks' home opener at 7 p.m. PT.

The Six Events
Compulsory – The Ducks opened their 2018 season this past Monday at Concordia University Wisconsin. Oregon did not lose a single heat to the Falcons, going on to win the meet by a score of 267.890-225.305. The 42.585 score difference marked the second largest victory margin in program history.

Acro – With an emphasis on improving Oregon's first half scores this season, the Ducks did just that Monday evening scoring a 29.50 in the acro event. Led by junior Megan Barney along with freshmen Yeelena Faustino, Mikaela Moore and Addie Lacewell, UO opened the acro event with a 9.90 in the six element acro heat. Oregon's 29.50 score in the event marks the highest score for the Ducks in acro since facing Azusa Pacific in the 2016 season and is tied for fifth highest in program history.

Pyramid – Six of UO's 10 seniors - Alexis Cross, Annelyse Robinson, Taylor Galvin, Sabrina Peyton, Kaylee Nicklos and Kendall Green - along with sophomore Amber Piwkiewicz competed in heat one of the pyramid event for Oregon. That group got the Ducks started on a high note scoring a 9.80 in heat one, tying the team's highest heat one pyramid score from last season.

Toss - This Friday's meeting between Oregon and Hawai'i Pacific marks the fifth all-time meet between the two schools, and first of two matchups this season. The Sharks and Ducks have faced one another every year since HPU began its acrobatics and tumbling team in 2014. HPU is one of three active programs to ever record a win over the Ducks, with UO holding an all-time series record of 4-1 against the Sharks.

Tumbling – Three-time tumbling event national champion and senior Taylor Galvin continued to impress in the open tumbling heat Monday at CUW. Galvin walked away with the highest mark for the Ducks in the tumbling event, scoring a 9.675 in the open tumbling heat. The Foothill Ranch, Calif., native was a consistent presence for the Ducks competing in 12-of-20 heats throughout Monday's meet.

Team – Since HPU's program inception in 2014, the Sharks and the Ducks have had very close ties. Current head coach and former UO student athlete, Won, was named the Sharks first head coach with current UO assistant Jax Jeffries a senior on HPU's inaugural team. Hawai'i Pacific is now led by former Oregon student athlete and volunteer assistant coach Haley Garelick along with two-time Oregon All-American Krista Phillips brought on as an assistant coach.

THE 2018 SCHEDULE
The acro team will host three home meets this season, including a tri-meet with Quinnipiac and Gannon on March 11. In addition to the tri-meet, the Ducks will participate in home-and-home series with Hawai'i Pacific, Coach Won's former school, as well as three-time defending national champions Baylor. This year's NCATA National Championships will take place from April 26-28 in Erie, Pa.

POLL POSITION
For the third straight season, the Ducks will open the year ranked second in the NCATA Coaches Poll. The Ducks were six points shy of three-time reigning NCATA national champion Baylor, which was ranked first. Oregon received six first-place votes, with the Bears receving the remaining 11. All but one of UO's opponents this season are ranked in the top 10 with Quinnipiac fourth, Hawai'i Pacific fifth and Gannon sixth.

SCOUTING REPORT
Hawai'i Pacific opened its 2018 season this past Tuesday taking on Azusa Pacific. The Sharks did not win any events against APU, losing by less than one point in three of six events, falling to Azusa Pacific 282.075-270.670. HPU returns two of its top performers from last season in NCATA All-American Daisha Paulino and NCATA Newcomer of the Year Makayla Garland. The Sharks are under the direction of first-year head coach, and former UO student athlete, Haley Garelick. She is assisted by Krista Phillips, who graduated from the UO acro team last season.

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
If the past is any indication, the Ducks will have a big edge in their three home meets this season. In the seven years since joining the NCATA, the Ducks are 28-2 all-time when competing at Matthew Knight Arena. This includes being the overall winner in five home tri-meets as well as hosting the 2011 NCATA National Championships. Oregon's only two losses at home have both come against Baylor in 2015 and 2016. The Ducks snapped their two-meet home losing streak against the Bears last season, winning the first of three matchups with the Bears.

STORIED HISTORY
Since the NCATA's inception in 2011, the Ducks have won four of seven NCATA National Championships. The Ducks have reached the national championship finals all seven years, recording second-place finishes the past three seasons in a row. In that seven-year span, UO has a 65-11 meet record, including a total of 40 individual event titles and 17 All-Americans.

#CREATE IT
This season marks a new attitude for the Oregon Acrobatics and Tumbling team under its motto 'Create It.' The idea behind the expression is that in order to have success, you must create it for yourself. The team's actions, attitudes and dedication, both on and off the mat, will be the building blocks to acheiving the Ducks' goal of bringing the NCATA National Championship back to Eugene.

UP NEXT
The Ducks will head to Texas to take on rival Baylor in the first of two meetings this season between the two programs. UO and the No. 1 ranked Bears will square off Saturday, Feb. 24, at 5 p.m. PT.