A hot-shooting Denver lacrosse team ran Oregon into an early deficit en route to the Pioneers’ 18-12 win Thursday in Berkeley, Calif. The loss in the semifinals of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation tournament puts the Ducks into the third-place consolation game Friday at 1 p.m. against California (9-8 overall), which finished second in the regular season standings.
Oregon (12-7) found itself in a 8-2 hole 18 minutes into the game after Denver scored their eight goals on 72 percent shooting.
The Pioneers pushed their all-time record against Oregon to 6-0.
Denver’s 18 goals were the most scored against Oregon this season.
Oregon senior midfielder Jenny Browne led all scorers with five goals in a career-high performance.
Denver, however, countered with three players – Steph Coyne, Karen Morton and Ali Flury – who each scored four goals. Coyne added three assists to tie teammate Megan Carver, who scored three goals and had four assists, for a game-high seven points.
Browne scored the final two goals of the first half to bring Oregon to within six points, 11-5.
Browne said the team’s confidence took a hit when Denver opened the game with a goal 15 seconds after the opening draw.
“To be honest they came out with some good plays even in the first minute, the first 15 seconds,” Browne said. “And I think for a little while, I don’t know if we played scared, we just believed they were really good.
“I’m not really sure what happened. It took us too long to be confident in ourself.”
Besides their shooting, the Pioneers’ constant double teams on defense hampered any semblance of a Duck run on offense.
“We knew it was coming but we didn’t fully prepare for it,” said junior attacker Ilsa van den Berg.
In the second half, when the Ducks did regain their composure, they answered Denver’s 3-0 run with four consecutive goals by Browne and van den Berg. Van den Berg added to her new school record for points and goals in a season with three goals and one assist.
On paper, both teams appeared even. Oregon led Denver in ground balls and clears and trailed the Pioneers by one in both draw controls and shots on goal. Even in turnovers, the Ducks trailed by only two.
The Pioneers’ shooting didn’t cool off much from their early stretch, finishing at a clip of 60 percent to the Ducks’ 41-percent effort.
Despite starting three games all season, Browne ranks seventh on the team for goals. She felt a showing like yesterday’s had been in the works for a while.
“I just sort of had to step up,” Browne said. “I’ve been playing to my potential and better.”
In the regular season, Oregon lost to California 12-8 at home on April 12.
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