After starting the season with a frustrating lineup of mostly tight draws and losses, the Oregon Ducks won their first Pac-12 game of the season 2-0 against one of their central rivals, the Washington Huskies, at Papé Field on Friday night. This resulted in the Huskies losing their longtime winning streak against the Ducks.
“Our seniors have never won against them, especially in Eugene,” said lead striker freshman, Ajanae Respass, who has bagged now four goals on the year.
“We were all just super hungry to get this,” Respass said. “It was great to start off Pac-12 with a victory against our rival. I think this will keep our momentum going for the rest of the season.”
With the airy excitement drifting over from the freshmen in Autzen next door, Papé Field was buzzing with life — an atmosphere that would adumbrate the Ducks’ victory. Spectators steadily trickled in well past the start time of 7 p.m. until the stands were tightly packed.
The Ducks and the Washington battled for possession for the first nine minutes; they switched fields quite a bit.
However, things took a turn at the 10-minute mark when goalkeeper, Leah Freeman, served one of her powerful drop kicks to the other side of the field. Sophomore forward Kaitlyn Paculba made a touch and then took the ball all the way to the right corner mark. She then made a cross and then Respass followed it into the goal.
The first goal elevated the Ducks’ confidence and led them to more plays and overall possession for the remainder of the first half.
The increased plays provided more interactive watching for spectators. In one defensive attempt to get the ball out of the penalty box danger zone, spectators in the splash zone witnessed the ball flying straight towards the stands.
After the first half, the Ducks had one corner kick and three SOG under their belt and the Huskies with one corner kick and 11 SOG stopped by Freeman.
When the second half began, curious freshman from Autzen joined spectators and provided additional support for the winning Ducks.
The Ducks remained the steady possession from the first half and played primarily on the Huskies’ side.
Around the 70-minute mark, after the ball got lost within the clump of players in the 12-yard line during a corner kick, Kess Elmore got it into the goal post.
Respass said that “after this victory and getting some people back through injury, the team is really coming back together.”
Next match, the Ducks will face UCLA on Thursday, September 29 at 7 p.m. in Papé Field.
