Oregon Soccer to Host Final Spring Match
EUGENE, Ore. -- The University of Oregon soccer team will close out its 2010 spring exhibition season on Monday, May 10 with a home match against the Eugene Metro Futbol Club. Match-time is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Pape’ Field in Eugene.
The Ducks are coming off last week’s road win over Pac-10 foe Washington (May 1), and sixth-year head coach Tara Erickson has been pleased with the progress through the first four matches.
“It’s been a successful spring,” Erickson said. “We’ve worked on things we needed to improve defensively. We’re starting to focus more on the attacking side of the game.”
The Ducks opened the spring with losses at Oregon State (April 10) and Portland (April 14), before battling to a draw in a match at Santa Clara (April 25).
“We’ve been experimenting with some different formations. I think that’s been a positive - the players have seen some growth by changing systems,” Erickson said.
Several players have impressed Erickson so far this spring, a group that includes fifth-year senior Rianna Mansfield.
“Rianna has had a couple of standout performances in both practices and games playing forward.” Mansfield, a Eugene product, scored a pair of goals and had the second-best shots on goal percentage on the 2009 squad (minimum 10 shots).
Gone from last year’s team are defenders Danielle Sweeney and Dani Oster who will be hard to replace. They wrapped up their careers last fall having each played in a school-record 80 career matches for the Ducks. But Erickson has been pleased with the incorporation of junior Taylor Jones and sophomore Lauren Thompson into the defensive lineup.
“Taylor has done a really good job in the back. She’s been playing consistently as a left back for us, working to replace Sweeney,” Erickson said. “Lauren Thompson has moved into the center back role and has done a really good job.”
Erickson also noted positive play in goal, “I think that both goalkeepers have played well so far. Cody Miles and Lindsay Parlee have shown some improvements in that area.”
Oregon returns 13 letterwinners and eight starters for the 2010 campaign. The Ducks open the regular-season schedule on Aug. 20 with a home match against Boise State.
Erickson, who has a five-year mark of 47-42-10 at UO, enters the 2010 season just three wins shy of becoming the all-time winningest coach in school history (current leader: Bill Steffen, 49 wins in nine years).
The Ducks are coming off last week’s road win over Pac-10 foe Washington (May 1), and sixth-year head coach Tara Erickson has been pleased with the progress through the first four matches.
“It’s been a successful spring,” Erickson said. “We’ve worked on things we needed to improve defensively. We’re starting to focus more on the attacking side of the game.”
The Ducks opened the spring with losses at Oregon State (April 10) and Portland (April 14), before battling to a draw in a match at Santa Clara (April 25).
“We’ve been experimenting with some different formations. I think that’s been a positive - the players have seen some growth by changing systems,” Erickson said.
Several players have impressed Erickson so far this spring, a group that includes fifth-year senior Rianna Mansfield.
“Rianna has had a couple of standout performances in both practices and games playing forward.” Mansfield, a Eugene product, scored a pair of goals and had the second-best shots on goal percentage on the 2009 squad (minimum 10 shots).
Gone from last year’s team are defenders Danielle Sweeney and Dani Oster who will be hard to replace. They wrapped up their careers last fall having each played in a school-record 80 career matches for the Ducks. But Erickson has been pleased with the incorporation of junior Taylor Jones and sophomore Lauren Thompson into the defensive lineup.
“Taylor has done a really good job in the back. She’s been playing consistently as a left back for us, working to replace Sweeney,” Erickson said. “Lauren Thompson has moved into the center back role and has done a really good job.”
Erickson also noted positive play in goal, “I think that both goalkeepers have played well so far. Cody Miles and Lindsay Parlee have shown some improvements in that area.”
Oregon returns 13 letterwinners and eight starters for the 2010 campaign. The Ducks open the regular-season schedule on Aug. 20 with a home match against Boise State.
Erickson, who has a five-year mark of 47-42-10 at UO, enters the 2010 season just three wins shy of becoming the all-time winningest coach in school history (current leader: Bill Steffen, 49 wins in nine years).
