It was a disappointing weekend for the Oregon women’s soccer team as it dropped both games of the Bay Area road trip, losing 3-0 to Stanford and 5-1 to California. The Ducks (7-5-1, 0-2 Pacific-10 Conference) struggled to get their offense going in both games and mustered just 11 shots during the trip.
The Ducks’ offense had been the dominant force throughout the non-conference schedule but was unable to generate enough chances down the stretch. The sixth-ranked Cardinal’s offense set the tempo for the game, holding the Ducks scoreless on just six shots.
“Stanford’s best defense is really its offensive attack,” head coach Tara Erickson said. “Their overall team speed is outstanding and allows them to take some risks and chances many teams can’t.”
Still, Erickson thought freshman keeper Cody Miles handled the pressure well. The score was 2-0 for much of the game before a late score put Stanford up by three.
“I think she really made some progress in the net today,” Erickson said.
The Ducks did not start off on the right foot in Sunday’s game at No. 19 California, as they fell behind 2-0 in just the first two minutes. A pair of quick goals for the Bears would turn out to be all they needed, as they held the Ducks to just five shots and also contained their offense, which struggled to get going for the second game in a row. Alex Morgan scored a hat trick for Cal as it cruised to a win over the Ducks and a 2-0 start in the conference.
“We let in two goals the first two minutes and that really got us into a hole we couldn’t get out of,” Erickson said. “It was a disappointing effort. Cal is a good team and I give them all the credit, but we have to take some of the blame for letting five goals in.”
Jen Stoltenberg netted her eighth goal of the season for the lone Oregon score, and continued her stellar season and ascension in the Oregon record books – a ninth career goal moves her into a tie for eighth in the all-time ranks with four other players. The sophomore forward’s eight goals on the year move her into a tie for second in the Pac-10.
The Ducks were forced to play the game without midfielder Kirstie Kuhns, who was out after suffering a leg injury at Stanford. Her absence, coupled with less than exceptional play from the Oregon defense, allowed a season-high five goals.
“That’s a really important position for us in terms of directing our attack and really just coordinating everything, so it was very hard to be without Kirstie today,” Erickson said.
The Ducks now return home for the next three games at Papé Field, the first being the Civil War against Oregon State on Friday night at 7 p.m. Oregon hosts the Washington schools the week after.
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