The energy was high. That much was clear when the Oregon women’s lacrosse team took the field in its home and conference opener against San Diego State at Pape Field on Saturday. The Ducks gained control of the match right from the initial face off and scored seven goals from six different players in regulation.
However, a San Diego State rally in the final stages of the game proved to be the difference. The Aztecs scored four unanswered goals while knuckling down on defense to secure an 8-7 overtime win.
“We had great energy in the first half, we had the ball over in the offense a ton,” head coach Jen Beck said. “In the second half, we didn’t have as many opportunities and the energy shifted towards San Diego. ”
After a goal from Courtney Valdez off a free position shot with 13:55 remaining in the second half, it seemed like the Ducks were well on their way to their third consecutive win.
Yet, within a minute of the score, San Diego State’s Michaela Jarvis had cut the lead to just two. From there, Oregon’s opportunities dwindled, and San Diego State was on the offensive end for much of the final ten minutes.
“They got one goal and we looked down on ourselves,” Hayley Milner, who scored two goals, said. “They start figuring out our ride and worked around it. We couldn’t get it back.”
By the 7:28 mark, the Aztecs tied it and for the final seven minutes of regulation, both sides could not find the back of the net.
Then, in the first overtime period, San Diego State’s Christina Ricciardulli sealed the fate of the game with an unassisted goal.
Oregon finished the game with seven more shots than San Diego State, however they did not execute as well as Beck would have liked.
“We need to fix our execution once we get over into the offensive end because I thought we had some really good looks on the goal,” Beck said. “Not that it was the shooter’s fault, but just that we needed to take care of the ball better.”
Goalkeeper Janelle Parker, making the third start of her collegiate career, finished the game with six saves.
Olivia Pyne and Cambi Cukar contributed with a goal and an assist each.
Oregon will hope to respond tomorrow as it hosts St. Mary’s at 1 p.m.
Follow Justin Wise on Twitter @JustinFWise