EMU Awaits Before Ducks Take on Northwestern

EUGENE, Ore. – The Oregon lacrosse team will play its final nonconference game of the season against Eastern Michigan on Friday before squaring off with No. 3 Northwestern on Sunday.

GAME INFO
At Eastern Michigan
When: Friday, April 11
Where: Scicluna Field | Ypsilanti, Mich.
Time: 12 p.m. PT
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=579359

At No. 3 Northwestern
When: Sunday, April 13
Where: Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium | Evanston, Ill.
Time: 11 a.m. PT
Watch: B1G+
Live Stats: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=579621

QUACK RECAP
Oregon wrapped up the home portion of its schedule last time out, falling to No. 16 Michigan at Papé Field, 14-9. The Ducks fell behind at the half and could not recover despite scoring five goals in the final 30 minutes and shutting out the Wolverines in the fourth quarter. Paige Crowther, who made a career-high 17 saves against No. 6 Maryland the week prior, matched that total on a season-high 45 shots. Anna Simmons recorded her first hat trick in Big Ten play, leading the UO attack with four scores.

» The Ducks secured a winning record at home for the second year in a row, going 5-4 at Papé Field.

WIN THE DRAW, WIN THE DAY
When the Ducks have controlled the center circle, good things have happened. Oregon is 5-2 when tallying more draw controls than its opponent, but is winless in six games when tallying fewer. The Ducks typically go the way Rachel Pallo goes - the junior has totaled 79 DCs this season, the second most in a single season in program history. She tied her own program record with 12 draw controls in the win over Columbia as the Ducks held a 21-4 advantage for the game.

» Averaging 18.4 draw controls in wins and 10.6 in losses; Pallo is averaging 8.6 in wins and 4.5 in losses.
» Pallo sits third in program history with 170 DCs draw controls. Though she lacks the games played necessary to qualify yet, her 3.78 draw controls per game through 45 games would be the most in program history.
» Both Anna Simmons and Kristiana Strtak tallied a career-high six draw controls against San Diego State as the Ducks held a 29-11 edge in the game.

ONE-TWO PUNCH
The UO offensive attack is led by a pair of 30-plus goal scorers in Anna Simmons and Bri Carrasquillo. Simmons scored 20 goals in the first four games of the season - the most in any four game stretch in program history - and tied the program record with seven goals against Stetson. Carrasquillo has scored 24 of her 33 goals since the month of March started, including a career-high six against San Diego State. Both Ducks rank in the top ten in Big Ten in scoring (Carrasquillo - 33, 8th; Simmons - 31, 10th). Last time out at Papé Field, Simmons led the Ducks with four goals while Carrasquillo added a pair, her fifth-consecutive game with multiple goals.

» Simmons was named the Big Ten Midfielder of the Week each of the first three weeks of the season and is one of only three players in the nation with 30-plus goals, 20-plus ground balls and 15-plus caused turnovers.
» Carrasquillo scored a career-high six goals in the come-from-behind win over San Diego State.
» Simmons set career highs against Central Michigan with seven ground balls and five caused turnovers.
» The duo has combined to score 17 goals in the last four outings.

CROWTHER CATCHING FIRE
Senior goalkeeper Paige Crowther has found her form as the conference schedule has progressed. Crowther has tallied 37 saves over the last three games, including a pair of 17-save outings against No. 6 Maryland and No. 16 Michigan to set and match her career high. The Springfield, Pa., native sits sits at 74 saves one the year, one shy of her career-best mark set in 2023.

» Averaging 8.83 saves per game in conference play.
» Crowther ranks eighth in program history with a .401 career save percentage.

EYEING THE EAGLES
This will be Oregon's first-ever meeting with Eastern Michigan – the program was started in 2023 – and is just the fourth game UO has ever played in the Great Lakes State. EMU is 2-2 this season against common opponents, sporting wins over San Diego State and Butler and losses against Central Michigan and Michigan. The Eagles are led offensively by Mackenzie Blackwell (42 goals, 4 assists), last week's Mid-American Conference offensive player of the week. The MAC defensive player of the week, Maddie Porter, leads the conference in save percentage (.502) and ranks third in saves (124).

WHAT'S UP WITH THE WILDCATS
The only unbeaten team in Big Ten play, Northwestern enters Sunday's contest with a 6-2 record at home this season. The Wildcats sport the Big Ten's best and the nation's sixth-highest-scoring offense at 16.3 goals per game. Madison Taylor, the IWLCA offensive player of the week last week, leads the nation with 89 points (64 goals, 25 assists), while Niki Miles, Riley Campbell and Emerson Bohlig have each scored 20-plus. Jane Hansen and Sammy White – last week's IWCLA and Big Ten defensive player of the week – anchor the NU defense while Delaney Sweitzer leads the team with 83 saves.