The Oregon women’s soccer team is young in every sense of the word. The program is young, the coach is relatively young, the players are young, the field is … well, you get the point.
In a season after the team graduated eight starters, head coach Bill Steffen dealt with breaking this young team in by lining up the toughest preseason schedule in team history.
Before they even prepare for games against traditional Pacific-10 Conference powerhouses like No. 17 Southern California, No. 14 UCLA and No. 7 Stanford, Oregon first tangled with national powerhouses Duke (No. 22), Santa Clara (No. 3) and North Carolina (No. 1).
Steffen insists his ultimate goal is a trip to the NCAA Championships, which would be the Ducks’ first ever, even if it appears he scheduled suicide for his team.
“If we want to be a nationally ranked team,” Steffen said, “we’ll have to find out what it takes.”
If Steffen’s gamble pays off, the dividends could be significant. The Ducks have the talent to challenge the premier teams, but the next step is winning those types of games– something they tasted last year with a victory against UCLA.
Repeating such an accomplishment could come at the feet of Oregon’s forwards and midfielders. Junior midfielder Chalise Baysa will easily pass Erin Anderson, who graduated last year, as the Ducks’ all-time leading scorer. She is the biggest offensive weapon Oregon has this season.
“When Chalise has the ball, people pay attention,” Steffen said.
Junior forward Crystal David, a transfer from the University of San Francisco, should put some balls past opposing keepers this year, and has already showed promise in the preseason, with six points in her first two games as a Duck.
Along with David, senior Beth Bowler should make an impact after injuries have kept her from reaching her full potential. Sophomore Julie McLellan should also prove effective after recording seven points last year in her first season, and transfer Mary Cascio, a senior from Portland State, could impact the offense right away.
Midfield is arguably the Ducks’ deepest position. Seniors Melissa Parker, T.J. Johnson and Allyssa White return to lead the attack with Baysa. The three are the team’s only returning seniors, and Steffen will need them to lead the team on and off the field.
Behind the midfield, junior Starr Johnson anchors a respectable defense. Sophomore Lindsey Peterson and junior transfer Angela Romero, who played at New Mexico for two seasons, join Johnson in the Duck defensive attack.
The shakiest position for the Ducks, if you can call it shaky, is in goaltending. Two sophomore net-minders — Jeanine Norstad and Sarah Peters — will share time at the position vacated by four-year starter Amanda Fox.
The question lingering over the young program remains its strength against top-flight soccer programs. Only time, and perhaps a little help from a midfielder’s foot, will answer that question.