Oregon Looks to Continue Momentum Against Niagara

Saturday, February 18

Eugene, OR

1:00 PM

University of Oregon

Niagara

Ducks celebrate freshman Anna Simmons first goal of career

Photo by: Sydney Becker

02/16/23 | Women's Lacrosse

Game Notes

EUGENE, Ore. - Oregon is back in action at Papé Field for the second of three consecutive home games to open the 2023 season against Niagara.

The game will be the Purple Eagles' third of the season, starting the year 2-0 after earning an 18-4 win against Eastern Michigan on Thursday. The Ducks are looking to build off their 17-6 victory over Xavier in the season-opener.

GAME INFO
When: Saturday, Feb. 18
Where: Papé Field
Time: 1 p.m. PT
Live Stats: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=457124
Live Stream: https://pac-12.com/live/university-oregon-3

THE DUCKS vs. THE PURPLE EAGLES
The matchup between Oregon and Niagara will mark the first time the two teams have faced off. Niagara is off to a 2-0 start on the season after wins over St. Bonaventure and Eastern Michigan. Last season, both squads squared off and came away with home victories over Marquette.

ALL-AROUND EFFORT LEADS OREGON PAST XAVIER
The Ducks never trailed in the 17-6 season-opening victory over the Musketeers on Saturday. The win marked the first by double-digits for Oregon under head coach Chelsea Hoffmann. The victory was also the sixth consecutive season-opening win at Papé Field.

» Nine different Ducks scored a goal and 11 notched a point in game one.
» Oregon held Xavier scoreless for a stretch of 28:32, leading to a game-defining 8-0 run.
» More than 80 percent of the Ducks' roster saw game time against the Musketeers.

MORGAN IN THE MIDDLE
A do-it-all type of player, junior and team captain Morgan McCarthyis looking to build upon a successful sophomore campaign. The midfielder became the first Duck at the position to take home All-Pac 12 honors, after receiving second-team recognition. In her two years of play in Eugene, McCarthy has become an essential contributor on the offensive and defensive ends.

» Scored Oregon's first goal of the season 49 seconds into game one, her 50th career point before later notching her fifth career hat trick.
» Currently carries a 12-game scoring streak, totaling 23 goals in the stretch.
» Finished last season with the third-most draw controls in a season in school history (69). Had a team-leading five in the opener.
» One of 11 underclassmen nationally last year to total 65-plus draw controls and 25-or-more goals.

GIERKE CAPTAINING THE DEFENSE
The Oregon defense returns several pieces from last season's team. The group is led by graduate and three-time captain Logan Gierke, who opted to return for a fifth year and has started all 53 games played in her career. On Tuesday, Gierke earned her first Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week award, the first for any Oregon defender since joining the Pac-12. In the opener, the captain caused four turnovers and picked up five ground balls, leading to the first scoreless quarter for the UO defense since the 2022 rule change.

A NEW LOOK ATTACK
A season ago, Oregon was able to rely on several players for offensive production, with seven different Ducks recording a hat trick. Among the returners are Morgan McCarthy and seniors Katie Collins, Alyssa Wright and Bailey Smith. After an offseason promotion, associate head coach Caitlin Prince will look to returning upperclassmen and new, emerging faces to replace last year's senior-laden production.

» Three Oregon players came away with a hat trick in the opener: Morgan McCarthy, Haley Cummins and Riley Taylor. Cummins and Taylor each secured their first career collegiate hat tricks.
» Lauren Rismani finished game one with a career-high three assists, the first Duck to do so since Lillian Stump had three last season against San Diego State.
» First-year midfielders Anna Simmons and Rachel Pallo each scored in their collegiate debuts, with Simmons finding the back of the net twice.

INSTANT IMPACT
The Oregon coaching staff became active in recruiting experienced players to help fill in gaps from a productive senior class. The Ducks bring in four transfer additions to the 2023 team. Defensively, Oregon added graduate transfers Maggie Flynn (Duquesne) and Margot Hotham (Temple). The Pennsylvania natives each started all 17 games played last season. To boost the attack, the Ducks brought in championship experience with sophomores Kylee Manser and Riley Taylor. The pair helped D-II University of Indianapolis to a 22-1 record and national championship a season ago.

» Flynn: Opened the year as a key piece of the Oregon defensive rotation. Named a second-team Atlantic-10 selection and team captain in 2022.
» Hotham: Earned a starting nod in her first game as a Duck. Had two games with multiple caused turnovers as a senior.
» Taylor: One of three Duck players to finish with a hat trick in the season-opening win over Xavier, scoring on all three of her shot attempts. Ended freshman season with three games of three-or-more points.