These Ducks were faced with one of their toughest challenges yet, and not only did they meet it, but they exceeded it.
The Oregon Club Sports men’s ultimate frisbee team joined 14 other teams at the Northwest Regional Tournament last weekend to vie for a single berth to nationals, and the tension was high.
With their keen level of play and ever-growing confidence, the Ducks went undefeated to capture first place at the tournament.
“It was the best tournament we have played all year,” Oregon men’s captain Joshua Greenough said.
The Ducks came out on fire by winning their first two games with hardly any trouble. Then the men faced Oregon State, which defeated the Ducks last year, eliminating them from the 2000 tournament.
Glory came on Oregon’s side this time, though, as the Ducks stepped up to win, 15-6, with senior Dylan Darling, a first-year player, scoring the winning goal.
Oregon, the No. 2 seed in the tournament, then faced No. 3 Santa Cruz in a semifinal matchup, with the Ducks coming out on top, 15-11.
After four straight wins, the Ducks moved on to the finals. Oregon’s opponent was Stanford, which is ranked third in the country.
The confident Ducks jumped out to an early 6-1 lead. The Cardinal battled back in a hurry, however, and tied the game at 6. After an Oregon time-out, the Ducks regained their composure to take a 8-6 lead into the half.
As the game wore, both teams found themselves tied at 13, but Oregon dug deep to secure the 15-3 win, earning the prestigious national berth.
“It was a team effort with everyone playing well,” Oregon sophomore William Cooper said.
On the women’s side, the Ducks didn’t fare so well, due in large part to having only 10 active players with seven injured. The Oregon women played tough in their games but did not advance to nationals.
The Oregon men will head to Boston, Mass., on Memorial Day weekend for the national tournament, where the Ducks expect to be entered among the top four seeds. The confidence level is high and these Ducks definitely feel that a national championship is well within their grasp.
“We are really excited for the opportunity to fulfill our destiny, which is to win nationals,” Oregon senior Michael Freels said.