After years of weak-as-water offense, under-seige defense and battered goalkeeping, the Oregon soccer team has found its boots this fall.
The result? A 5-1-1 record, the best start in school history, and a victory over a top-25 team with another top-ranked foe — No. 4 Portland — coming to Eugene today at 3 p.m.
“As much as last year was one step backward, we’re now taking two steps forward,” Oregon head coach Bill Steffen said.
While the entire Oregon squad has lifted off, no improvement is as visible as the Ducks’ offense. Oregon scored eight goals in victories over No. 19 San Diego and Eastern Washington last weekend and has already scored 17 goals on the season. The Ducks’ season record is 27.
Steffen said the offense is benefiting from the improved play of the entire team.
“The entire team is playing offense,” Steffen said. “We’re attacking with 11 players.”
The new Oregon offense must have opponents cringing at the names and goal totals. Freshman Nicole Garbin has five goals, including a school-record four game-winners. Senior Chalise Baysa — Oregon’s all time leading goal-scorer — has four this season. Senior Beth Bowler has three. Sophomore Ann Westermark has three assists and one goal.
Garbin describes the team’s new killer instinct in terms of history, despite her newcomer status.
“In the past, they haven’t done so well,” Garbin said. “Now they want to beat teams 7-0, 8-0.”
Baysa is the star-of-all-stars for Oregon. She holds all of the school’s major offensive records, and she is the focus of opposing defenses. Among Baysa’s Oregon records are career goals, career points, season goals, goals in a game, career game-winning goals and games played in a season.

Garbin is the star for the future. The freshman has scored a goal in four of Oregon’s five wins, and notched an assist in the one game she didn’t net a goal in. When Garbin gets a point, Oregon is 5-0-0 this season; when she doesn’t score, the Ducks are 0-1-1.
“Nicole is a great player,” Westermark said.
Bowler is the up-and-coming star, as a senior. A forward trapped in a midfielder’s body, Bowler has taken every chance she’s been given to fire away this season, and the results have been three goals and two assists. Bowler leads the team in shots, with 27, and also ranks among the Pacific-10 Conference leaders in that category, after she took only 29 shots all last season.
“I’m just trying to finish strong,” said Bowler, who echoed the sentiments of the team when she said the Ducks have a goal of their first NCAA Tournament in mind this season.
Westermark is a steadily-improving player who is obviously at home in Oregon’s new offense. Her sharp passes have landed her on the Pac-10 assists leaderboard, and she has also scored once already this season.
Westermark
attributes Oregon’s offensive explosion to a new 4-4-2 offense, which leaves less pressure on midfielders than the Ducks’ old 3-4-3 formation.
“We’re better in the back with four defenders,” Westermark said. “Up front, we’re all over the net when everybody plays their position.”

The Ducks have a handful of other players who greatly contribute to the offensive renaissance. Perpetually-injured but always-flashy senior forward Crystal David has a goal and an assist. Speedy junior Julie McLellan has found a use for her excessive speed as a sideline-streaking midfielder. McLellan already has two assists on the season. Senior midfielder Annie Murphy has also found solace on the sidelines, where she has contributed a goal and an assist to the 2001 campaign.
Besides the old guard, Oregon has many new, freshly-scrubbed faces vying for a piece of the Ducks’ offensive pie. Churchill High graduate Sarah Denner, who played at Boston College for two seasons before returning home, has been a valuable substitute off the bench.
A handful of freshmen and transfers have proven to be solid in relief of the starters.
“They came in strong and hungry and excited to play,” Bowler said of the new additions.
When it comes down to it, Baysa said the Ducks’ offensive resurgence is a result of good team chemistry, focus and confidence.
“We’re focusing and capitalizing more,” Baysa said.
Oregon will take on the fourth-ranked Pilots at 3 p.m. today on Papé Field, before facing Portland State on Sunday at 1 p.m.