Garbin Scores Twice as Ducks Topple No. 24 Arizona

Friday, October 6

Tucson, Ariz.

7 p.m.

University of Oregon

Arizona

Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com

Garbin Scores Twice as Ducks Topple No. 24 Arizona

10/06/06 | Women's Soccer

By: GoDucks.com

TUCSON, Ariz. ? Nicole Garbin broke Oregon's career points record by scoring twice to lead Oregon to a 2-1 upset of No. 24 Arizona Friday night at Murphey Stadium in the Pac-10 opener for both teams.

Garbin ran on to a through ball from junior Dylann Tharp and scored on a left-footed shot in the 23rd minute to give the Ducks (7-5-0, 1-0-0) a 1-0 lead that they took into halftime. Then just 8:24 into the second half, Garbin gave Oregon a 2-0 lead -- and became the school's all-time points leader -- by working a perfectly-timed give-and-go with Tiffany Smith, and the sixth-year senior from Wailuku, Hawaii, blasted home her 28th career goal from 15 yards out straight on.

Garbin, who has 28 career goals and 15 career assists, passed Chalise Baysa for Oregon's all-time points lead with 71. Baysa accumulated 69 points on 31 goals and seven assists as a Duck from 1998-2001.

Smith, a junior from Eugene, Ore., was credited with her first assist of the season and fourth of her career.

“Garbin and Tiffany did a great job of coming back to the ball and keeping the pressure on,” said Oregon head coach Tara Erickson. “Those two had great movement up top and were really connecting well.”

But the Wildcats (7-5-0, 0-1-0) would not go quietly.

Jacquelin Broussard pulled Arizona to within 2-1 with a score in the 66th minute, and it was hang on time from there for the Ducks.

Sophomore goalkeeper Jessie Chatfield made three saves for the game, including a diving stop on a blast by Arizona's London King with just under 12 minutes to play to preserve the lead.

“Our defense, especially up the middle, played very well,” said Erickson. “Even when Arizona started throwing numbers at us toward the end of the game, we did a good job of handling their speed and maintaining our composure.”

The win was just the second victory in 41 all-time games for Oregon against a team ranked in the NSCAA top 25, and the first-ever on the road. The Ducks' other win against a ranked team was a 2-1 defeat of No. 20 UCLA on Oct. 31, 1999.

“Our players literally had no fear coming into this game,” said Erickson. “We were hungry to play this game at a Pac-10 level and like a Pac-10 team should. No question, it is a great win for the program, but our players were very confident going into this game and had the right mind set and expected to win.”

Oregon also won for the fourth time in its last five road games, and has already tied the school season record with four road victories set in 2003 and matched again last season.

The Ducks play at Arizona State Sunday at 1 p.m.

GAME NOTES: Oregon won at Arizona for the first time since 2003, but that should not be too much of a surprise...the Ducks are now 3-2-1 all-time in Tucson...Oregon won its Pac-10 opener for just the third time in school history...the Ducks opened Pac-10 play with wins over Oregon State in 1998 and 2003...Chatfield took over sole possession of third on the career goalkeeper wins list with her 12th Friday...she's one back of Sarah Peters (13/1999-02)...on Garbin's first gaol, Tharp was credited with her second assist of the season and third of her career.

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