The Oregon club hockey team proved that bigger isn’t always better as it slaughtered the Idaho Vandals, 8-2 and 13-1, respectively, in two home games Friday and Saturday.
“They are great, big guys, but they just couldn’t skate as well as we did,” defenseman Tim Gibbons said.
Oregon captain Tyler Shaffar was pleased with both the offensive and defensive efforts.
“The lines were playing together, and we had fewer penalties,” he said.
Oregon (6-5) had only 10-12 minutes in the penalty box.
Duck goalie Joe Fagliano started in the net for the first time Friday, because starter Josh Hardin is out with a hand injury. Fagliano stopped 26 attempts, allowing only two Vandal pucks to slip by. Saturday, he faced 30 attempts but let in only one.
Shaffar downed the first puck Friday, and put in two more for a hat trick. He equaled the feat in Saturday’s win.
Mike Tornabene had two goals Friday and four Saturday. Scott Tedrick also put four pucks in the net, with Andy Waldera and Steve Budke scoring twice each. Theron Hineline recorded his first Oregon goal Friday.
“We planned on them being better than they were,” Gibbons said.
Oregon next plays in Seattle next weekend in important games against the Huskies.
Fencing opens with success
In an art of fighting that requires agility and precision, the Oregon club sports fencing team competed in its first competition last weekend.
“It was very impressive and they couldn’t have fenced better,” coach Paul Csonka said.
Four members competed in the tournament in the classes of foil and epee. Juniors Shannon Boettcher and Jacob Kaster placed fourth and eighth in the finals, respectively, while junior Andrea Recek placed 12th in foil. In epee, junior Jason Wascburan earned fourth among the finalists and Boettcher, who competed in both classes, took seventh.
Table Tennis takes a step
In a fund-raising tournament put on by the Oregon club sports table tennis team, the members had the chance to compete against college and community players.
Only two team members competed, both in round robin style competition, with senior Vivien Pong placing second in the finals and freshman Rina Saito being defeated in the semifinals.
“We have some promising players this year,” coach Lee Werthamer said. “I hope Vivien qualifies for nationals again.”
Nationals isn’t until April, but in order to get there, members must pass the test of Regionals in February.
