Oregon women’s soccer (0-15-3, 0-9-1) got its first point at home in a 2-2 draw versus Washington State (9-5-4, 2-4-4).
The Ducks entered the match on a nine-game losing streak dating back to the start of Pac-12 play. Their most recent game against Washington ended in heartbreak after a late goal by the Huskies. Oregon was close to finding a goal for its first win, but instead, it was Washington that found the back of the net in the 88th minute and left the Ducks winless.
They weren’t going to end the season at Papé Field without some sort of result.
It only took four minutes for freshman forward Ryann Reynolds to strike first for Oregon off a corner kick. It was the first time all season that the Ducks scored the opening goal.
“We literally just practiced that piece yesterday, just out of the blue. So it worked out well,” Reynolds said. “It definitely set a statement to [the Cougars]. I mean it helped us keep that momentum going throughout the whole half.”
But, Washington is used to finding equalizer goals, having entered the game on a two-game draw streak. Peyton Price leveled the score in the 22nd minute after a free kick conceded by the Ducks on the outside of the penalty box.
The Cougars entered the half with all the momentum. In the 38th minute, their leading goal scorer, Margie Detrizio, netted the second goal to take the lead.
It seemed like the same story Oregon fans have seen all season. The Ducks started the game strong before costly defensive breakdowns that will lead to a loss.
This time, Oregon had plenty of fight left in it.
Once again, the Ducks scored early in the half. Oregon had another set-piece opportunity, this time coming off of a corner taken by Alice Barbieri. Sophomore striker Ajanae Respass fired the ball into the bottom center of the goal five minutes into the second half.
“We gotta stay hungry always,” Respass said. “We’re always looking to keep going, keep fighting. We just wanted that third goal to win the game but, it was really exciting.”
The Ducks had a couple of other opportunities to deliver a win but didn’t end up scoring again. Just as important, they didn’t concede another goal. Oregon only had six shot attempts compared to Washington State’s 22. The Ducks were efficient with their chances and effective in clearing away the Cougars’ attempts.
“There’s a lot of teams and a lot of programs that would have just gone away at this point,” Oregon head coach Graeme Abel said. “It shows the character in the fight of the group and they should be extremely proud of themselves.”
The Ducks finish their season against its rival Oregon State (3-8-7, 0-6-4) in Corvallis. Friday’s matchup will be their last chance to secure a win this season.
“We just have to go into practice this week and the game with the same mindset,” Respas said. “It’s gonna pay off at some point. So just keep fighting. Don’t give up.”
