“Pride,” “alpha” and “discipline” are the team winning values the Ducks chose in the pre-season to categorize themselves both on and off the field. Pride, for the way they carry themselves during competition. Alpha for the mentality they should always have and discipline for their style of play.
One of those values might as well be “dominate” because these Ducks (3-0) can’t seem to lose (or trail). Sunday’s matchup with Marist featured five goal efforts from Morgan McCarthy and Anna Simmons as Oregon controlled play from the get-go and jumped all over the Red Foxes (0-3) on its way to a commanding 16-9 victory.
Immune to the trap game, the Ducks got off to an early lead as McCarthy scored just 35 seconds in. Oregon is yet to trail in any of its games thus far in 2024.
After the early tally, the Red Foxes added an early highlight as Delaney Hayes acrobatically intercepted a pass and dished it to Kerri Gutenburger who found the net to tie the score.
Simmons and Madysyn Sweeney added the game’s next two goals before Chloe Birckhead tallied her first goal of the season for the Red Foxes thus cutting Oregon’s lead to one with 10 minutes left in the first period.
Following a Ducks timeout, Rachel Pallo made a pair of Marist defenders fall with a brilliant juke before finding Simmons for a highlight-reel goal.
Oregon immediately regained possession and controlled the ball in the Red-Foxes zone for over three minutes before McCarthy found Lauren Rismani who found the net from ten yards out.
After both teams traded possessions, McCarthy was fouled, setting up a free position attempt goal.
With the Red Foxes allowing 39 goals in their first two games of the season, Oregon’s powerful offense powered the Ducks’ success as Marist freshman goaltender Megan Morris saved just 44% of shots.
Marist scored the first goal of the second period with Caitlin McNaboe scoring from long-range to make the score 6-3.
With Oregon in a rare lul offensively, McCarthy spun past a pair of defenders and found the top-right corner of the net for a spectacular goal with 5:56 left in the half.
Marist’s Maddy Schrader added a tally with 6.6 seconds remaining which could have been crushing for the Ducks who saw their lead cut to just four.
But, Simmons had another idea in mind.
After controlling the draw, the sophomore flew down the right side and added the fastest score in program history, sending the lively crowd at Papé field into oblivion.
“We talked a lot again this week of trusting the gameplan, and believing in ourselves, I think we did that,” head coach Jessica Drummond said.
Unable to capitalize on the momentum from the late goal, neither team was able to score for over six minutes until McNaboe (three goals) found the net for Marist.
Both teams would continue to trade scores before Hailey Cummins weaved through the Red Foxes’ defense and scored an emphatic goal extending the lead to 11-6 with 1:38 to go in the third quarter.
Marist was able to settle in offensively and keep the score competitive but Oregon would continue to fill in the stat sheet and highlight reel. The Ducks controlled 22 draws compared to just six from Marist.
Simmons was able to add a goal in the final minute of the quarter to extend the lead to six.
The Red Foxes were able to add a pair of goals to cut the lead to four in the early going of the fourth quarter but McCarthy’s fifth goal of the day coupled with goals from Cummins and Simmons would keep the score out of reach.
“I was just having fun, when you’re out there having fun and enjoying the game it makes it that much easier to have fun,” McCarthy said.
With time dwindling down Rachel Pallo recorded her 12th draw control on the day, breaking the program record she set just last week.
“It’s so exciting to see, being able to be there and witness it is awesome, and being able to cheer my teammates on and give them a hug and high-five after is awesome,” McCarthy said.
Stronger competition in the form of a litmus check of an East Coast road trip lies ahead of a Ducks team occasionally guilty of an onslaught of penalties or offensive lapse. Still, Drummond’s tenure as head coach couldn’t have come with a better beginning. The Ducks outscored their opponents 52-26 in their opening homestand.
“We talked about when the season came, how much it meant to alumni and the built-in tradition of protecting Papé,” Drummond said. “This is our home turf and starting the season off right is awesome.”
Oregon heads on the road taking on Rider this Friday at noon.
“I’m from New York so I have a lot of family coming,” McCarthy said. “I know a lot of us are from the East Coast so we are all super excited for that.”
