University of Oregon
Arizona
Oregon Fit to be Tied (2-2) Following Crazy Game with Arizona
10/21/07 | Women's Soccer
EUGENE, Ore. ? Sunday's soccer match between Arizona and Oregon featured just about everything, except a winner.
After losing two starters to a collision just seconds before halftime and having a pair of Arizona coaches thrown out of the game in the second half, the Ducks and Wildcats fought to a 2-2 double-overtime tie before 428 at Pape' Field.
Oregon struck first in the 31st minute, scoring off a set piece following a Wildcat foul just outside the penalty box. On the restart, Danielle Sweeney passed the ball to Allison Newton in the right corner and Newton sent a cross to the far post to Darcie Gardner, who bodied the ball in from point-blank range.
It was the third goal of the season for Gardner, a junior from Bellingham, Wash.
Less than a minute before halftime, Oregon lost two starting defensive players when midfielder Jen Cameron and defender Nicole Dobrzynski knocked heads attempting to clear the ball. The collision left both players bloody and sidelined them for the remainder of the game. Cameron smashed her nose and mouth into Dobrzynsky's forehead, which had a noticeable gash following the incident.
Arizona stepped up its attack after halftime and London King tied the game at 1-1 in the 51st minute after some nice footwork to first beat an Oregon defender and then UO goalkeeper Jessie Chatfield one-on-one.
The Wildcats out-shot Oregon 10-5 in the second period.
The Ducks went back into the lead 2-1 in the 59th minute when Teresa Bowns collected a long pass up the left side from Barbara Blocker and tucked a left-footed shot from 25 yards out into the right side of the net.
Then things got a little bizarre.
The Arizona bench was issued a yellow card at the 68:00 mark, and during the stoppage Wildcat assistant coach John Galas, formerly an assistant at Oregon, was ejected from the game, though no red card was shown. Two minutes later, UA head coach Dan Tobias was given a red card and removed from the field.
Unfazed, Arizona got the equalizer in the 77th minute when Samantha Drees tipped the ball over the Oregon defense to Analisa Marquez, who tied the game from 11 yards out.
Neither team scored in the final 13 minutes or overtime.
"I'm a little disappointed," said Bowns, who tied for the team lead with her fifth goal of the season. "This was our first overtime game this year, but we've been in this position before last year. We didn't lose, but we could have come out a little harder and gotten a win. We kind of gave up after we got the 2-1 lead."
Jessie Chatfield made six saves for Oregon, while Halley Brown had five stops for Arizona (6-8-1, 1-2-1).
The tie was a disappointment for Oregon coach Tara Erickson, whose Ducks moved to 8-6-1 on the season, 1-2-1 in the Pac-10.
"We needed to do more to win," said Erickson. "I'm obviously disappointed with a tie. I thought our offense needed to do a better job to create more opportunities.
"Our team was definitely questioning ourselves a little, and that can't happen no matter what team you put on the field," she said. "I think the best solution to the injuries to the defense would have been to create more chances on the offensive side of the ball."
Chatfield echoed Erickson's sentiments.
"All of us are really upset," Chatfield said. "We've had a hard preseason and both of these games against the Arizona schools were must-wins. It's very disappointing with the heart and effort we put in today to not come away with a win."
Dobrzynski and Cameron will be reevaluated this week in regards to their availability for Oregon's next games at Washington State on Friday and Washington next Sunday.
GAME NOTES:
Sunday was Oregon's first overtime game and first tie of the season...the Ducks are unbeaten in their last six overtime games (3-0-3) dating back to last season...Newton's assist was her ninth career, moving her into sole possession of fourth on the UO career list...Sweeney got her seventh career assist to move into a tie for eighth.
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