Ducks Close Out Nonconference with Texas Tech, Sacramento State

Oregon rounds out the nonconference slate with a trip to Lubbock, Texas, to face the Red Raiders of Texas Tech (Thurs., 5 p.m. PT, ESPN+) followed by a home game against Sacramento State on Sunday (1 p.m., B1G+). This will be the first meeting between the Ducks and Texas Tech. Sacramento State plays at Portland Thursday.

ONE-TIMERS
• Oregon won its third straight home match by defeating CSUN, 2-1, on Sunday. Cameron Bourne scored both goals.
• Cameron Bourne has scored three goals in the last two matches and is the only Duck with more than one goal in 2024.
• The Ducks' 10 assists have been recorded by seven different players - three by Grace Mensah, two from Haley McWhirter and one each for Lucy Green, Sydney Hennessey, Lauren Kenny, Lexi Lerwick and Taylor Person.
• GK Maddy Goldberg is tied for fourth in the Big Ten with two shutouts and is third in the league in total saves (18).
• F Grace Mensah is tied for fourth in the conference with three assists.
• Oregon welcomed 16 newcomers to the team for the fall - 8 freshmen, a sophomore, 3 seniors and 4 fifth years - 13 of whom have seen action.
• Seven of Oregon's eight transfers have NCAA Tournament experience, including NCAA Champion Makoto Nezu (Santa Clara).
• Six players currently on the Ducks' roster are working on their Master's degrees.
• Oregon played the 15th-hardest schedule in the nation last season after navigating 11th-toughest schedule nationally in 2022.
• #ProDucks. Oregon currently has three alums playing professionally in the NWSL: Chardonnay Curran (Chicago Red Stars), Croix Soto (Kansas City Current) and Chai Cortez (San Diego Wave).

WEEK 3: BOURNE BRACE PACES DUCKS
Cameron Bourne scored in the 41st and 50th minutes as Oregon defeated CSUN, 2-1, on Sept. 1 to improve to 3-0 at home in 2024. Bourne came off the bench and found the net on her only two shots of the game. Lucy Green and Taylor Person assisted on the first goal, while Grace Mensah and Haley McWhirter had helpers on the second. Taylor Bryan (5) and Ella Osmussen (3) set career highs in shots as the Ducks had a season-best 25 shot attempts. Maddy Goldberg made six saves.

WEEK 2: A NUMBER OF FIRSTS
The Ducks dropped a pair of matches, losing 2-1 at New Mexico State (Aug. 22) and 3-1 at New Mexico (Aug. 25), but registered a number of firsts on the second weekend of the season. Cameron Bourne scored her first career goal (New Mexico), while Haley McWhirter found the net for the first time as a Duck (NMSU). It was her 15th career goal as a collegian. Sydney Hennessey assisted on McWhirter's goal, her first helper as a Duck.

WEEK 1: DUCKS OPEN SEASON 2-0 FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2018
Oregon got the 2024 season off to a strong start by defeating Seattle, 1-0, in the Aug. 15 season opener and then topping Portland State, 2-0, Aug. 18. Goalkeeper Maddy Goldberg posted back-to-back shutouts to earn her first two career victories. Taylor Bryan, a transfer from Virginia Tech, hit the game-winner versus Seattle in the 73rd minute. Her goal was assisted by Lexi Lerwick and Grace Mensah. Livvy Moore scored her first career goal in the 59th minute against Portland State. She crossed the ball ahead to Haley McWhirter, who then returned the ball to Moore as she crashed down on the goal and finished by tucking the ball just inside the near post. Freshman Carly Cormack added an insurance score in the 70th minute. The win against Seattle snapped a 26-match winless for the Ducks that dated to a 1-0 win at Utah on Oct. 6, 2022.

"GRANDMA SEASONS"
Coined by Taylor Bryan in the aftermath of her game-winner against Seattle, Oregon has seven players in their "grandma season" (fifth year) of eligibility thanks to the NCAA's Covid policy. In addition to Bryan, others playing their fifth season in college include Sydney Cradle, Lucy Green, Sydney Hennessey, Haley McWhirter, Makoto Nezu and Jayd Sprague. All seven of those players have NCAA Tournament experience - Bryan at Virginia Tech, Cradle with Towson, Green at Mississippi, Hennessey with Tennessee, McWhirter at Mississippi State, Nezu an NCAA champion with Santa Clara and Sprague at Idaho. Because they played in the 2020 Covid season and subsequently redshirted, both Bryan and Hennessey actually have another year of eligibility remaining and could return for a sixth season.