SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Oregon's No. 11 volleyball team had their six-game winning streak interrupted in a four-set loss Sunday afternoon at Utah 19 th . Taylor Borup recorded a total of 11 kills, while libero Georgia Murphy led all players with 18 kills. With the setback, Oregon is now 12-2 overall and 3-1 on Pac-12.
Brooke Nuneviller recorded her seventh double-double of the season with 10 kills and 11 attacks. The team also had three players: Karson Bacon Morgan Lewis and Gloria Mutiri with nine kills each. Bacon, the conference leader in efficiency, hit .500 (9-1-16) and Mutiri added four blocks against the Utes.
In his first weekend of Pac-12 action, Murphy averaged 5.63 dug per set; had 27 attacks in Colorado in the Ducks' first game of the weekend. The Woodlands, Texas, native had been out of the Oregon lineup since Sept. 17. Murphy also had five assists in Sunday's game.
Next: The Ducks are back home for their next four games starting Friday against Cal. The Pac-12 showdown is scheduled for 7 p.m. (PT) at Matthew Knight Arena.
The home team led 14-11 in the first set, but the Ducks won five of the next six points and a Bacon kill gave UO a 16 lead -fifteen. With the score tied at 19 overall, Utah (10-3, 3-1) had a four-point run on a decisive play and secured the first frame.
In the second, Oregon used a raise of 7-1 mid-set to turn a one-point deficit into an 18-13 lead. Borup had two aces of service during the push. With a block from Mutiri, the Ducks extended the lead to eight at 23-15 and forced Utah to call a timeout. On the team's second set point, Oregon tied the game and used a Utah error to tie the game.
The Ducks appeared to carry momentum into the third set, jumping to a 4-0 lead with Nuneviller on the service line. However, Utah recovered eight of the next nine points to take an 8-5 lead. Oregon did not get closer to two points for the remainder of the set.
After an early start back and forth to the fourth frame, the Utes once again used a quick scoring streak to propel their lead from 6-5 to 10-5. The Ducks got close to three twice down the stretch, including a late push that ended in a Borup death – UU led 21-18 – that forced the home team to call a timeout. Outside of the group, the Utes earned four of the next five points to secure victory.
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