Oregon graduate Nicole Garbin avoided embarrassing herself as the soccer team’s emergency goalkeeper for most of the spring. After the team suffered injuries to starter Jessie Chatfield and backup Emily Zaler, Garbin was asked to rejoin the team as its goalie and performed well considering she never played the position in college. But within the first minute of the Ducks’ final spring scrimmage, Garbin let a cross pass roll through her legs, setting the team back early against the Seattle Crossfire Sounders, a semi-pro team.
“That’s a big sin for a goalkeeper,” Garbin said. “That was one of my focuses this spring to not get scored on through my legs. Anywhere else would have been fine.”
For Garbin, who set Oregon career record for goals scored as a forward, she wished for a chance to redeem herself.
“I just wanted to go up and play forward and get that goal back,” Garbin said. “But I know that the team has to move on without me.”
Fortunately for the Ducks, they overcame the early setback, scoring two goals in the second half to defeat the Sounders 2-1.
Oregon’s first goal came on another type of embarrassing play when defender Darcie Gardner crossed the ball in front of Seattle’s net, bouncing off one the Sounders’ defenders into their own goal, tying the game in the 49th minute.
“It was actually an intended cross. I just went to drive it to the far post and one of the defenders tried to clear it and deflected it into their goal,” Gardner said.
The game-winning goal came off midfielder Teresa Bowns’ left foot in the 74th minute as she line-drived the shot from 20 yards out in the right corner of Seattle’s net. Despite giving Oregon the victory, Bowns had trouble recalling her goal.
“I don’t really remember it too much,” Bowns said. “I just had an open shot so I took it.”
Oregon coach Tara Erickson said the offense has a nice mix and expects to see everyone contribute in the fall rather than relying too much on a single scorer like Garbin. Although the Ducks were out-shot 17-10, Erickson was pleased with balance of the offense and excited to see Bowns contribute from a different position.
“That’s the second time we’ve put Teresa up top and she really made some things happen up there,” Erickson said.
As for the defense, aside from Garbin’s miscue, the Ducks were able to hold the Sounders from scoring.
“The defense is always strong, they’re always organized,” Garbin said. “Now it’s just a matter of getting the offense solid as well.”
And despite allowing 17 shots on goal, Erickson said the defense performed admirably.
“They got a lot of shots but not the dangerous, quality shots that I was concerned about. So I’m impressed with our defense,” Erickson said.
Last week, the Sounders defeated Washington 5-0 and Oregon hopes the victory is telling of the type of team it will be in the fall.
“This is by far the best spring I’ve ever had,” Erickson said. “We learned so much.”
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