Oregon (5-8, 0-6 Big Ten) fought hard to stay close with No. 16 Michigan (9-4, 3-2 Big Ten) in the final home game of the season, but ultimately couldn’t keep up with the scoring of the Wolverines in the 14-9 defeat.
The seniors that the Ducks honored postgame were the ones who kept the game close in the first half. Paige Crowther recorded nine first-half saves in goal, while graduate attacker Bri Carrasquillo tallied two of the squad’s four goals in the opening 30 minutes.
“They got to spearhead our first year being in the Big Ten,” head coach Jess Drummond said of the 2025 class. “They really set the precedent of what it is to be Oregon lacrosse going to the Big Ten.”
“It’s honestly an honor to be able to play in this conference, and be able to do this for this program,” Crowther said. “We may not be there this year, but I know that we’re building a foundation right now. This team is going to be phenomenal within the next five years, and really compete.”
The Wolverines won the opening draw, but the Ducks’ goalie, Crowther, controlled the game early. Crowther recorded three saves alone in the first four minutes, and Oregon held Michigan scoreless for half of the first quarter.
Wolverines attacker Jane Fetterolf drew contact to get in the free position. Her attempt bounced into the bottom of the cage for the first goal of the game at the 6:23 mark.
The Ducks responded with a free-position goal of their own less than a minute later. Carrasquillo splashed her attempt to equalize in the top corner of the net.
Crowther kept Oregon in the game in the first half, including back-to-back saves on a pair of good looks for Michigan. Anna Simmons and the Ducks once again tied the game with a shot after a Wolverines score.
The goals finally began to snowball for Michigan in the final minutes of the first. Oregon regained some momentum with a Carrasquillo crease roll goal and a goal by Lyla Hurley in the second quarter, but the Wolverines had already built a multiple-score lead.
The downpour of rain started following the halftime break, as the outlook for the Ducks’ chances looked equally gloomy. It only took Michigan 14 seconds into the third to score its tenth goal and increase the lead to six.
Five Wolverine makes on nine chances from the free position hurt Oregon. The Ducks also allowed multiple free position opportunities on two attempts, despite Crowther saving the first time on both occasions.
“Michigan did a good job of making us kind of be more sunken on defense, where we usually had to foul outside the eight meter, “ Drummond said.
Simmons, Carrasquillo and Hurley all finished with two or more goals, but it wasn’t enough for Oregon to pull off an upset. Michigan outshot the Ducks 45-26, with 29 of those attempts coming in the second and third quarters.
Despite the loss, Crowther tied a career-high with 17 saves.
“It really is the defense,” Crowther said. “Those low angles in their hands, everything like that, I’m just able to make those saves and have their back because they have my own.”
Oregon’s losing streak grows to six games, dating back to the start of conference play. The Ducks hit the road for the final three games of the season. Eastern Michigan is next on the schedule, with the two sides facing off at noon on Friday.
