Oregon Opens Pac-12 Play Against California

EUGENE, Ore - Oregon returns to the field on Friday to kick off the 2023 Pac-12 slate against California.

The Ducks (3-2) are off to their best start under head coach Chelsea Hoffmann and the best since beginning the 2018 season at 4-2.

GAME INFO
When: Friday, March 17
Where: Papé Field
Time: 5 p.m.. PT
Watch: https://bit.ly/LAXVideo
Live Stats: https://statb.us/b/457126

THE DUCKS vs. THE GOLDEN BEARS
Oregon and California will meet for the 28th time in the programs' histories. The Ducks have won four of the last five games against the Golden Bears, with Cal claiming a 14-12 victory the last time the teams met. Head coach Chelsea Hoffmann is 4-2 against California during her tenure. The Ducks most recently split their first road trip with a 16-10 win over George Mason after a 15-9 defeat to Navy. Cal is off to a 2-5 start under first year head coach Jennifer Wong after an 11-10 loss to American.

OREGON CRUISES AGAINST THE PATRIOTS
The Ducks rebounded from a loss in Annapolis with a 16-10 victory over George Mason on March 5. The win in Fairfax was Oregon's first win on the road since a 13-12 decision over Fresno State on April 11, 2021. The Ducks' offense returned to form as Oregon never trailed during the game. The offensive explosion proved to be a tenure-best performance under Hoffmann, with the Ducks posting a .640 shooting percentage and the first double-digit assist game since the fifth-year head coach took over.

» Junior Cassidy Eckert had a career-best performance in the cage, finishing with a career-best .625 save percentage en route to her eighth career double-digit save game.
» Junior Morgan McCarthy (4 goals) and sophomore Haley Taylor (2 goals, 2 assists) led the way offensively with four points apiece.
Freshman Rachel Pallo (2 goals, 1 assist) became the first Duck first-year since 2021 with a three-point game.

QUACK ATTACK
The Oregon offense has flashed tremendous versatility throughout the 2023 season. The Ducks have peppered opposing goals as one of two teams in the Pac-12 to average 30 shots a game. Oregon finished with 40 shots in the opener against Xavier and 39 shots against Kennesaw State, both of which would have been season highs a year ago.

» Heading into conference play, Oregon ranks in the top 10 nationally in fewest turnovers per game (eighth), committing just 11 per contest.
» Sophomore Lauren Rismani currently leads the Ducks with 11 assists through the first five games. Rismani is tied for second on the team in points (12) and is second in the conference in assists. Rismani has four multi-assist games, including two games with three assists and is the only Duck this season with multiple points in all five games this season.
» Five Oregon players have scored a hat trick this season and nine have totaled three-or-more points through the first five games.