Ducks Announce 2015 Soccer Schedule
EUGENE, Ore. – Head coach Kat Mertz and the Oregon soccer program have announced the schedule for the 2015 season. The Ducks will play eight non-conference games – five of which will be at home at Papé Field – and 11 Pac-12 Conference games. In addition, seven of the Ducks’ games will be featured on Pac-12 Networks.
In what will be Mertz’ third season, Oregon will warm up for the year when they travel to Portland, Ore., for an exhibition game against the Portland Pilots on Aug. 15. Prior to missing the NCAA Tournament in 2014, the Pilots had qualified for the NCAA Tournament 21-straight years including NCAA Championships in 2002 and 2005.
The season will officially kick off against LSU at Papé Field on Aug. 21 for a Pac-12 Networks match. The Ducks are 1-1-0 all-time against the Tigers, losing most recently 1-0 in Baton Rouge, La., in 2011. UO will then travel to Seattle, Wash., in the second game of the weekend and face Seattle U on Aug. 23.
Oregon will return to Papé Field for two more games in the Oregon State Tournament when they face San Francisco on Aug. 28, and then Fresno State on Aug. 30. The Ducks are 2-0-2 all-time against the Dons, and 1-0-0 against the Bulldogs thanks to a 2-0 victory in Fresno, Calif., in 2009.
UO flies across the country the following weekend, playing games at North Carolina State on Sep. 4 and then Wake Forest in a neutral site game in Raleigh, N.C., on Sep. 6. NC State – Coach Mertz’ alma mater – will be facing the Ducks for the first time in the two schools’ histories, and Wake Forest holds a 3-0-0 all-time advantage over Oregon.
The Ducks will then return home for a game against Air Force at Papé Field on Sep. 11. The non-conference portion of the season will conclude a week later at home on Sep. 18 with a matchup against Portland State.
Pac-12 play will begin on the road with a game at UCLA on Sep. 25. The Ducks’ busiest month of the season, October, will consist of eight conference games; Colorado (Oct. 2), Utah (Oct. 4), at Cal (Oct. 9), at Stanford (Oct. 11), USC (Oct. 17) at Arizona (Oct. 23), at Arizona State (Oct. 25) and Washington State (Oct. 30).
Oregon will close with their two rivals to end the season, first with a game against Washington (Nov. 1) at home and then a Civil War matchup on the road against Oregon State (Nov. 6) to wrap up the regular season.
The Ducks finished their spring exhibition schedule with a 2-0-2 record thanks to a 2-1 win over Seattle Pacific, a pair of 0-0 ties against the Seattle Sounders and Oregon State, and a convincing 3-0 victory over Western Oregon.
In addition to the LSU match, other games selected for Pac-12 Networks include Portland State (Sept. 18), at UCLA (Sept. 25), Utah (Oct. 4), at Arizona State (Oct. 25), Washington State (Oct. 30) and at OSU (Nov. 6)
