No. 20 Oregon Heads to the East West Challenge
THIS WEEK
Currently off to the best start in program history, 4-1, Oregon heads to southern California to compete in the East West Challenge.
Up first for the Ducks will be their second ranked opponent of the season, No. 11 Notre Dame. Oregon and the Fighting Irish will square off at 8 p.m. in San Diego at Torrey Pines High School.
The Ducks second opponent of the weekend is Temple. The two teams start at 4 p.m. on Saturday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.
EAST WEST CHALLENGE
The inaugural East West Challenge starts play on Thursday, and the idea for the event was conceived by Paul Ramsey, Owner and President of East West Sports Camps.
The East West Challenge games in Pasadena will be played inside the Rose Bowl, while 48 high school teams will be competing on the recreation fields outside the stadium.
CRACKING THE RANKINGS
After a successful 2-0 trip to the East Coast two weeks ago, which included a 14-13 win over Virginia Tech and a 17-5 victory over then 18th-ranked Richmond, the Ducks entered the Inside Lacrosse Division I Top-20 Media Poll for the first time.
After returning home to post a 15-7 victory over LeMoyne, the Ducks entered this week as the 20th-ranked team in the nation. Mountain Pacific Sports Federation foe, Denver, is currently ranked 18th in the nation.
MEDIA
Oregon lacrosse fans can check www.GoDucks.com for results from this weekend. No live stats will be provided. Fans can also find more out about the tournament at www.eastwestchallenge.com.
QUICK START
Oregon begins this week on a four-game winning streak, a stretch that has tied the Ducks’ longest in program history. The team’s 4-1 start to the season is a new program best.
SERIES HISTORY
For the fourth consecutive game, Oregon will be playing a first-time opponent for the program. The Ducks and Fighting Irish have never played one another before. Temple will be the Oregon’s fifth first-time opponent of the year.
CAREER MARKS
Oregon seniors Jana Bradley and Jen May started their season in the 100-point club, but during the first five games of the year, some of their teammates have already joined them; Theresa Waldron and Ilsa van den Berg.
May continues to lead the quartet with 146 career points, followed by Bradley (110), Waldron (108) and van den Berg (103).
Bradley is the closest to reaching 100 goals, currently with 90 to her credit, while May closely follows with 89. Senior Lindsay Killian could also hit triple digits by the time her career is over. She currently has 87 points to her name.
NOTRE DAME TIDBITS
Notre Dame started its season winning its first three games, over Canisius, Duquesne, and Ohio State. The Fighting Irish’s streak was snapped last Sunday with a 13-9 loss at Stanford.
The team has put 61 goals away this year, while only allowing 38. Jillian Byers leads Notre Dame with 22 points (19 goals, 3 assists), followed by Shaylyn Blaney’s 16 points (12 goals, four assists.)
Goalkeeper Erin Goodman is managing a 9.60 goals against average in four starts.
TEMPLE TIDBITS
Temple has played just one game this season, a narrow, 8-7 victory over then 14th-ranked Penn State on Feb. 27. Sophomore Chelsea Rosiek netted two goals and assisted on two others, while senior Nicole Caniglia added two goals and an assist, and Brittany Hoffman had two goals.
OFFENSIVE LEADERSHIP
Oregon is averaging 18.40 points, 13.60 goals and 24.20 shots on goal per game to lead the MPSF in all three categories. The Ducks’ .456 shooting percentage also ranks No.1.
Individually, Oregon has three players in the conference’s top 10 for points per game, led by Ilsa van den Berg (5, 2.80), Theresa Waldron (T-7, 2.60) and Jen May (T-9, 2.40).
D-FENCE
Jen May leads the MPSF averaging 4.00 ground balls per game, while ranking third with 2.40 caused turnovers per contest.
Junior Anna Poponyak is leading the goalkeepers with a 7.12 goals against average and is second in the league with a .556 save percentage.
LOOKING AHEAD
While 2008 isn’t even underway yet, the Ducks inked 16 signees for the 2009 class in November. The new class will usher in the second era of Oregon lacrosse, as this year’s senior class departs after playing four years since the inaugural 2005 season. The class has representatives from seven different states, led by Maryland (4) and California (4).
“We are thrilled to welcome this dynamic group of student athletes into our program and anxious to continue building on our solid foundation for the Oregon lacrosse program” head coach Jen Larsen said. “This class brings in a wealth of experience from all across the country and will continue our quest to national excellence on the field and in the classroom.”
Currently off to the best start in program history, 4-1, Oregon heads to southern California to compete in the East West Challenge.
Up first for the Ducks will be their second ranked opponent of the season, No. 11 Notre Dame. Oregon and the Fighting Irish will square off at 8 p.m. in San Diego at Torrey Pines High School.
The Ducks second opponent of the weekend is Temple. The two teams start at 4 p.m. on Saturday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.
EAST WEST CHALLENGE
The inaugural East West Challenge starts play on Thursday, and the idea for the event was conceived by Paul Ramsey, Owner and President of East West Sports Camps.
The East West Challenge games in Pasadena will be played inside the Rose Bowl, while 48 high school teams will be competing on the recreation fields outside the stadium.
CRACKING THE RANKINGS
After a successful 2-0 trip to the East Coast two weeks ago, which included a 14-13 win over Virginia Tech and a 17-5 victory over then 18th-ranked Richmond, the Ducks entered the Inside Lacrosse Division I Top-20 Media Poll for the first time.
After returning home to post a 15-7 victory over LeMoyne, the Ducks entered this week as the 20th-ranked team in the nation. Mountain Pacific Sports Federation foe, Denver, is currently ranked 18th in the nation.
MEDIA
Oregon lacrosse fans can check www.GoDucks.com for results from this weekend. No live stats will be provided. Fans can also find more out about the tournament at www.eastwestchallenge.com.
QUICK START
Oregon begins this week on a four-game winning streak, a stretch that has tied the Ducks’ longest in program history. The team’s 4-1 start to the season is a new program best.
SERIES HISTORY
For the fourth consecutive game, Oregon will be playing a first-time opponent for the program. The Ducks and Fighting Irish have never played one another before. Temple will be the Oregon’s fifth first-time opponent of the year.
CAREER MARKS
Oregon seniors Jana Bradley and Jen May started their season in the 100-point club, but during the first five games of the year, some of their teammates have already joined them; Theresa Waldron and Ilsa van den Berg.
May continues to lead the quartet with 146 career points, followed by Bradley (110), Waldron (108) and van den Berg (103).
Bradley is the closest to reaching 100 goals, currently with 90 to her credit, while May closely follows with 89. Senior Lindsay Killian could also hit triple digits by the time her career is over. She currently has 87 points to her name.
NOTRE DAME TIDBITS
Notre Dame started its season winning its first three games, over Canisius, Duquesne, and Ohio State. The Fighting Irish’s streak was snapped last Sunday with a 13-9 loss at Stanford.
The team has put 61 goals away this year, while only allowing 38. Jillian Byers leads Notre Dame with 22 points (19 goals, 3 assists), followed by Shaylyn Blaney’s 16 points (12 goals, four assists.)
Goalkeeper Erin Goodman is managing a 9.60 goals against average in four starts.
TEMPLE TIDBITS
Temple has played just one game this season, a narrow, 8-7 victory over then 14th-ranked Penn State on Feb. 27. Sophomore Chelsea Rosiek netted two goals and assisted on two others, while senior Nicole Caniglia added two goals and an assist, and Brittany Hoffman had two goals.
OFFENSIVE LEADERSHIP
Oregon is averaging 18.40 points, 13.60 goals and 24.20 shots on goal per game to lead the MPSF in all three categories. The Ducks’ .456 shooting percentage also ranks No.1.
Individually, Oregon has three players in the conference’s top 10 for points per game, led by Ilsa van den Berg (5, 2.80), Theresa Waldron (T-7, 2.60) and Jen May (T-9, 2.40).
D-FENCE
Jen May leads the MPSF averaging 4.00 ground balls per game, while ranking third with 2.40 caused turnovers per contest.
Junior Anna Poponyak is leading the goalkeepers with a 7.12 goals against average and is second in the league with a .556 save percentage.
LOOKING AHEAD
While 2008 isn’t even underway yet, the Ducks inked 16 signees for the 2009 class in November. The new class will usher in the second era of Oregon lacrosse, as this year’s senior class departs after playing four years since the inaugural 2005 season. The class has representatives from seven different states, led by Maryland (4) and California (4).
“We are thrilled to welcome this dynamic group of student athletes into our program and anxious to continue building on our solid foundation for the Oregon lacrosse program” head coach Jen Larsen said. “This class brings in a wealth of experience from all across the country and will continue our quest to national excellence on the field and in the classroom.”
