Ducks Just Miss Upsetting Defending Champs

Sunday, October 1

Los Angeles, Calif.

1:00 PM

University of Oregon

6-5-0, 0-3-0

USC

8-1-1, 2-0-1

Oregon

USC

10/01/17 | Women's Soccer

Box Score Oregon-USC Box Score 2017 Season Statictics

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — After knocking out Oregon's starting goalkeeper, No. 7 USC scored twice in the final nine minutes to sneak past the Ducks 2-1 Sunday at McAlister Field.

Freshman Chardonnay Curran scored the first goal of her career in the 13^th minute for Oregon (6-5-0, 0-3-0) as the Ducks led the defending NCAA champions for most of the game.

USC (8-1-1, 2-0-1) got goals from Nicole Molen in the 82nd minute and Tara McKeown in the 84^th minute to escape with the win.

How It Happened: Oregon (6-5-0, 0-3-0) gave the Trojans all they could handle for 81 minutes.

The Ducks got on the scoreboard in the 13^th minute when Oregon's attack forced USC goalkeeper Kaylie Collins out of the net. Jessica Yu then slid a pass across the box to Curran, who lifted a shot over traffic from 16 yards out into the open net.

The turning point in the game came when Oregon goalkeeper Halla Hinriksdottir moved out of net to break up a Trojan attack. She dove to intercept a pass down the right side, which resulted in a mild collision with a USC attacker, but it was enough to knock Hinriksdottir out of the game in the 73^rd minute.

Who Stood Out: For the second straight match, Oregon's defense stood tall against one of the top teams in the nation. Before she got injured, Hinriksdottir kept USC of the scoreboard with impressive saves in the 44^th and 71^st minutes and had three total in the game. Prior to the injury, the Duck defense limited USC to just eight shots.

What It Means: The Ducks' brutal stretch to open Pac-12 play (at Arizona, at No. 1 UCLA, at No. 7 USC) is behind them as Oregon returns home to host five of the next seven matches.

Quotable:
Head coach Kat Mertz
"I'm proud of our team effort and play today. We executed our game plan and were able to dictate play. Unfortunately the injury to Halla (Hinriksdottir) changed the momentum of the game."

"We knew we had a really difficult schedule to open Pac-12 play with three tough road games, but now we're excited to have five of the next seven games at home beginning Thursday night with WSU."

Notable: In addition to Curran's goal, Oregon's offense created numerous changes against the Trojans. The Ducks came within inches of going up 2-0 in the 75^th minute when Marissa Everett's strike banged off the left post.

Up Next: Oregon returns home to host Washington State Thursday at Pape' Field (4 p.m. Pac-12 Networks).

- www.GoDucks.com -