The No. 20 Oregon’s women’s lacrosse team scored two goals within the final 15 seconds of regulation to beat No. 11 Notre Dame 14-13 Thursday night in the first game of the East West Challenge in San Diego, Calif.
Head coach Jen Larsen called the win the program’s biggest since lacrosse was established at Oregon in 2003.
“I think it was the biggest in the program’s history, but the coolest thing was for 59 minutes and 57 seconds we weren’t winning at all,” Larsen said.
Down a goal with under a minute to play, senior All-American Jen May scored for the Ducks with 15 seconds left, tying the game at 13-13. After Oregon’s Alex Breiner won the ensuing draw, senior Ilsa van den Berg was fouled inside the goal box, resulting in a free position shot. Van den Berg scored, giving the Ducks their only lead of the night with three seconds to go.
The Ducks’ (5-1 overall, 1-1 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) current five game winning streak is a new program best. Oregon will face Temple on Saturday at 4 p.m. in Pasadena’s Rose Bowl.
Van den Berg finished with five goals and one assist, while May added four goals and an assist. Sophomore Erin Chisnell chipped in two goals.
Notre Dame led by as much as four goals in the first half before a 2-0 Oregon run clipped the Irish’s halftime lead to 7-5.
After Oregon tied the game at 10-10 with 14 minutes left, both teams traded goals. With just over a minute remaining in the second half, Larsen said, the Irish went into a “stall” offense, trying to run down the clock. Up a goal on Oregon, Larsen said Notre Dame “really sort of had (the game) in hand,” before turning the ball over. Oregon would capitalize on the change in momentum, scoring the final two goals of the game.
Despite allowing 13 goals, goalkeeper Anna Poponyak played “ridiculous”, Larsen said, saving nine shots.
The mood after the game for the Oregon players was part exuberance and part exhaustion, Larsen said.
“Right now they’re just having fun,” Larsen said. “A little bit was shock, and a little bit was absolute joy.”