2012 SEASON PREVIEW Luckily the Ducks have a number of talented young hitters to take over for Bergsma on the opposite side in 2013 and leave their own mark on the program. Sophomore Canace Finley will make the change from middle blocker to opposite-side hitter. Finley led the team with 86 blocks (15 solo blocks/71block assists) a year ago while ranking fifth in points with 173 (1.55 per set). UO only added one outside hitter from 2013 freshman class but often quality is better than quantity, and quality is what the Ducks receive in Naya Crittenden. The left-hander comes to Eugene from Modesto, Calif., and is one of two Fab 50 list players in the class. Moore expects the athletic hitter to be a key asset in the long run. Middle Blockers
2013 Season Preview
ranks.
After a season full of “firsts” and “bests” for Oregon Volleyball, it is safe to say the Ducks have taken their place among the nation’s elite.
Bethany Bair and Maddie Magee each are anticipated to play a heavy role from the hitter position this season. Bair, a redshirt senior, has yet to play a match in green and yellow since transferring from Weber State where she was a two-time Big Sky honorable mention. Magee earned a year of experience as a freshman in 2012, playing in 26 matches and converting on 40 percent of her attacks (17kills/35 total attempts).
The 2013 team is forced to replace a number of key players, most notably the 2012 AVCA National Player of the Year, Alaina Bergsma. The Ducks will also be without starting outside hitter Katherine Fischer, starting libero Haley Jacob and Kellie Kawasaki, each of whom appeared in 34-or-more matches last season. But focus too much on the accolades and achievements of former Ducks and you may miss the national-caliber players who will take to the court this season. Among the returners for the 2013 are All-Americans Lauren Plum and Liz Brenner who are joined by 2012 starters Ariana Williams and Canace Finley.
“Martenne has really stepped into it here in the last couple of months and she is really figuring it out,” Moore said. “Bethany is athletic as anyone we have and she’s going to be able to have an impact at different times and she could be in that starting spot as well, so those two give us options to fill the big shoes of Katherine (Fischer).”
A pair of experienced middle blockers will lead the way for Oregon followed by a trio of freshmen. Senior Ariana Williams returns after notching Pac-12 honorable mention honors and serving as the team’s most efficient hitter. Williams finished fourth in kills (301) while attacking at a .334 clip which ranked seventh in the conference. “Ari, offensively, is as good as anybody around and her blocking continues to improve and is much better than it was a year ago, so she will be very solid in that spot for us,” Moore said. Junior-transfer Serena Warner will join the Ducks’ squad after spending two years at Ohio. Warner was named to the Mid-American Conference Second Team in 2012, leading the league in blocks (1.29 per set) and fourth in hitting (.306). Moore expects her impact to be felt immediately, especially on the defensive end.
In all, Oregon returns nine letter winners from the 2012 squad to mix with seven newcomers including five freshman and two transfers. Outside Hitters The Ducks’ All-America hitters tortured opposing defenses last year with the play of Bergsma and Brenner. Brenner was named second-team AllAmerica as well as All-Pacific Region and AllPac-12 with the seventh most points in school history (522.5) and the fifth-most points per set (4.39). She will carry more of the load this season with the absence of Bergsma. “She may not be the tallest or be able to jump the highest, but Liz has an unbelievably gifted athletic mind and has a way of seeing what is going on,” said Moore. “It’s her back-row play that sets her apart offensively.” Behind Brenner is sophomore Martenne Bettendorf who played in 29 matches last season and tallied 54 points in her Duck debut. The Portland, Ore., native will look to be more prominent in the Oregon lineup this season and add to her outstanding resume from the prep
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Liz Brenner
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON VOLLEYBALL