Ducks Drop Heartbreaker In Pac-12 Opener

Saturday, March 16

Eugene, OR

12:00 PM

University of Oregon

6-2, 0-1P12

California

4-5, 1-0P12

California

Oregon

03/16/24 | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score Box Score: California 8, Oregon 7 Photo Gallery

EUGENE, Ore. — The Oregon lacrosse team came up just short in its 2024 Pac-12 opener on Saturday at Papé Field, suffering a heartbreaking 8-7 loss to California on a goal in the final seconds.

Three straight goals by Morgan McCarthy, Anna Simmons and Lauren Rismani gave the Ducks (6-2, 0-1 Pac-12) a 7-5 lead with eight minutes remaining, but California (4-5, 1-0 Pac-12) scored twice in a two-minute span to pull even. Oregon got a shot off with 44 seconds remaining but was denied, and the Golden Bears found the back of the net with just six seconds left for the win.

"We had a lot of opportunities," head coach Jessica Drummond said. "I thought our defense had some serious shutdowns, great caused turnovers and then we just have to put the ball in the back of the net on offense. We just have to control what we can control.

"I had them reflect on, it sucks to lose, hate losing, and we just have to focus on what we can control and that's our possession of the ball, our stick work, looking for the best opportunities on offense and being a little more disciplined with 20 seconds on the clock to get those caused turnovers at the end."

How it Happened: The Ducks jumped out to a 2-0 lead through the first quarter, holding a team scoreless in a period for the fourth time this season. Rachel Pallo scored the game's first goal at the 11:58 mark on a free-position shot, and Rismani found Emma Ing for a goal with just over a minute left in the period. Goalkeeper Thayer Hubbard saved a shot with 10 second remaining to keep Cal off the board.

Simmons extended Oregon's lead to 3-0 on a free-position goal early in the second quarter, but the Golden Bears responded with three unanswered goals to pull even. The Ducks struggled to score against Cal goalkeeper Callan Fritsch for most of the second period, but McCarthy found the back of the net on a pass from Rismani with 22 seconds to go before halftime to send Oregon into the locker room with a 4-3 lead.

McCarthy's goal made her the 11th player in program history to reach 100 in a career.

It was Fritsch who held the Ducks scoreless in the third quarter, and the Golden Bears scored within a minute out of halftime to make it a 4-4 contest. Hubbard added another save and Oregon's defense forced six turnovers in the quarter to keep the game tied going into the final 15 minutes.

Cal scored quickly in the fourth quarter to take its first lead of the game, but McCarthy answered shortly after for the Ducks with her second goal of the day. Simmons got the Ducks back in front with goal at the 10:22 mark, and Rismani made it three straight with her first goal of the game two minutes later.

Fouls hurt the Ducks late in the game, as a green card resulted in a woman-up goal for the Golden Bears with 4:19 left, and a free-position goal after a foul knotted the game with 2:28 remaining. Rismani and Pallo combined to force Cal into a turnover with two minutes left and gave Oregon a chance at a go-ahead goal, but Fritsch's ninth save of the day set the Golden Bears up for the game-winner by Kennedy Mason.

Who Stood Out: Simmons finished with two goals, four groundballs and two caused turnovers, and McCarthy added two goals, three groundballs and two caused turnovers. Pallo, Rismani and Ing each scored once while Pallo added six groundballs and Rismani dished out two assists, and Haley Cummins led Oregon with three draw controls. Hubbard made five saves while facing 13 shots on goal.

Notable: McCarthy scored multiple goals in a game for the seventh time this season, and Simmons did so for the sixth time … Rismani now has multiple assists in six of eight games in 2024 … McCarthy is the first Duck to reach 100 career goals since Shannon Williams (2016-19) … Oregon finished with 12 caused turnovers, reaching double digits for the fifth time in the last six games.,

Up Next: Oregon will go in the road for the first time in Pac-12 play, facing Stanford on Saturday, March 23 (1 p.m. PT).