Oregon’s opponents this weekend might be unknowns to the program, but for the majority of the roster, the team’s second road trip of the season will be a homecoming.
Two weeks after splitting their first two Mountain Pacific Sports Federation games of the season, the Ducks travel to Virginia to play non-conference matches against Virginia Tech and Richmond, teams Oregon has never played in its short four-year history.
Oregon plays Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., today at 1 p.m.
For half of the team’s 26 players, who hail from either Maryland or Virginia, the trip is as much about seeing family and friends as playing the Hokies and Spiders.
“A lot of people from the East Coast were afraid to come out here because they thought they wouldn’t see their family and it was so far from home,” said senior attacker Jana Bradley. “But all of our families and friends are always there.”
The Hokies, a young team under second-year head coach Katrina Silva, are 0-2 on the year.
“They’re a good team, they’re young,” said head coach Jen Larsen, who played collegiately at Virginia. “I talked with their coach about how many freshmen she’s got on the field and I said ‘We’ll give you no sympathy.’ I’ve been there, done that.”
In defense of their Atlantic-10 Conference title from a season ago, the No. 18 Spiders are 2-0 on the year.
Larsen expects midfielder Celeste Mayer and defender Liora Lobel to miss both games with ankle and neck injuries, respectively.
Against UC-Davis and Stanford two weekends ago, the coach was pleased with the play of reserves Casey Rector, Jen Browne and Alex Breiner. Rector scored three goals and Browne and Breiner, a freshman, added a goal apiece against UC-Davis and Stanford.
“Giving them experience is the best thing we can do for them,” said Larsen.
May named preseason All-American
Senior midfielder Jen May was named a preseason third-team All-American by Inside Lacrosse magazine on Tuesday, the first time a Duck has been so honored in the program’s four-year history. May is a three-time All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation selection.
[email protected]