Ducks Open SoCal Series on Saturday

EUGENE, Ore. – The Oregon women's lacrosse team will head south to San Diego for its first road trip of the season. The Ducks will face FDU in a neutral-site match on Saturday, Feb. 14 in the first ever meeting between the teams before taking on the Aztecs on their home turf for the 13th matchup in program history. Oregon won the last meeting with San Diego State in a 17-16 thriller in Eugene.

Game 2 vs. FDU
When: Saturday, Feb. 14
Where: Aztec Field | San Diego, Calif.
Time: 12 p.m. PT
Live Stats: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=651112

Game 3 at San Diego State
When: Monday, Feb. 16
Where: Aztec Field | San Diego, Calif.
Time: 12 p.m. PT
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@SDSUAztecLacrosse
Live Stats: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=647139

Last Time Out
Oregon opened the 2026 season with a dramatic overtime win, defeating Arizona 12-11 at Papé Field last weekend. The Ducks trailed 6-1 at the start of the second quarter, but the Ducks did not call it quits. Kate Shields took over the cage for Oregon after the first quarter and made seven saves in regulation play. Gabby Santucci kickstarted the comeback with four goals on the day. Anna Simmons added three goals in Oregon's 6-0 scoring run to close out the fourth quarter to tie the game. Shields displayed confidence and consistency in the sudden-death overtime, making three more saves to finish with 10 on the day. Simmons sealed the win for the Ducks, netting a free-position shot with 15 seconds on the clock in overtime.

Leading By Example
The Ducks named four captains prior to the 2026 season, including seniors Anna Simmons who tied the program record with seven goals against Stetson last season and Rachel Pallo who totaled 86 draw controls in 2025, the second most in a single season in program history, and tied her own program record with 12 draw controls in a win over Columbia. They are joined by junior Lexi Jenkins, who transitioned from defense to midfield prior to the 2026 season and Avery Young, who was named a Big Ten Player to Watch last year before missing the remainder of the season with an injury.
» Oregon was 5-2 last season when Pallo had six or more draw controls and 1-7 when she tallied less than six.
» UO averaged 18.0 draw controls in wins and 10.6 in losses; Pallo was averaging 7.8 in wins and 4.3 in losses.
» Pallo sits at first in program history, averaging 3.79 draw controls per game. Her 177 total are third-most at UO.
» Simmons was named the Big Ten Midfielder of the Week each of the first three weeks of the 2025 season.
» Simmons was one of only seven players in the nation with 30-plus goals, 21-plus ground balls and 15-plus caused turnovers.
» Jenkins has started 32 consecutive games as a Duck, and scored her first career goal against Arizona State.

B1G Impact
Senior Anna Simmons was recognized as the Big Ten Midfielder of the Week after leading the offensive charge in Oregon's massive comeback win against Arizona State. The Washington native scored three goals to cap the Ducks' 6-0 scoring run at the end of regulation play and then secured the sudden-death win for Oregon, netting her fourth score off a free-position shot with 15 seconds on the clock in overtime. Simmons joined Lexi Jenkins and Gabby Santucci who were named to the Big Ten Preseason Players to Watch list.
» Jenkins was a consistent force across her first two seasons as a Duck, starting 31 consecutive games as a defender and finishing 2025 with 36 draw controls, 20 ground balls and 14 caused turnovers.
» Santucci finished with 15 goals across five games as a sophomore, including three hat-tricks, before her season was cut short due to an injury. Santucci led all Oregon freshmen with six goals in 2024 and played all 12 games.
» 20 of Simmons' 33 goals last season came in the first four games of last season, the most in any four-game stretch in program history, including a season-high seven against Stetson, that tied the UO single-game record.

SHIELDS UP
Goalkeeper Kate Shields played a crucial role in Oregon's overtime win against Arizona State last weekend. The sophomore took over the cage at the start of the second quarter and recorded 10 saves for the Ducks, including three in the overtime period. 10 saves was just one shy of her career-best 11, set last season against San Diego State.