EUGENE, Ore. -- The No. 14 Oregon Ducks bettered the Northern Illinois University volleyball team on Saturday afternoon, 25-12, 25-15, 25-15, in the final match for both teams in the Oregon Classic. Freshman Kaylee Martin (Sterling, Ill./Sterling) and senior Taylor Krage (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) each recorded seven kills while junior Meg Wolowicz (Manitowoc, Wis./Manitowoc Lincoln) hit .429 with six kills. 

Despite the setback, NIU head coach Ray Gooden, appreciates the experiences his team gains from competing against the nation's best. 

"Being able to understand how to play at this level, for our entire group, is the hardest, and most fun part," said Gooden. "When we get there, we feel like we can do some really good things. This is just a part where we are going to have to learn and work our way through it -- to get there by playing solid volleyball on a regular basis. While it's hard for anybody to be happy unless you get the victory, I think there are parts where we are improving."

Oregon (4-1) took the opening set 25-12 as the Ducks hit .429 with five different players recording multiple kills. Oregon also tallied five aces in the opening set and committed just one attack error. Krage recorded four kills in the opening set for the Huskies, hitting .429. 

In the second set, NIU led the 14th-ranked Ducks early, 6-4, until six-straight points for Oregon pushed the Ducks back in front. Oregon hit .464 in the second set with 17 kills. Martin and Krage each had three kills to lead NIU (0-7) in the second set. 

The Ducks continued it be red-hot offensively in the third set, hitting .433 to finish the match at .442, as they took the final set, 25-15. Martin hit .500 with four kills in the final set for the Huskies while Wolowicz hit a perfect 1.000 with three kills. 

The junior from Manitowoc, Wis., was named to the Oregon Classic All-Tournament Team after posted a team-best 21 kills, 26.5 points and 10 blocks. This is the second consecutive weekend that Wolowicz has been named to an all-tournament team, she also earned all-tournament honors last week at the NIU Holiday Inn Express Invitational. 

Lindsey Vander Weide led the way for Oregon in the match, posting a double-double with 14 kills and 12 digs. Willow Johnson added eight kills while Ronika Stone chipped in seven kills. 

NIU will be back in action on Tuesday, Sept. 5, when they travel to Northern Iowa. First serve against the Panthers is slated for 6 p.m.