They’re back, but only for four more home matches.
After playing their last four matches in three different states and losing three of them, the Ducks (3-3, 2-0 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) look to get back on track in their final home stretch of the season.
Oregon hosts St. Bonaventure, Vermont, Colgate and Longwood this week through next week on Papé Field.
“We are excited to be back in class,” coach Jen Larsen said. “The girls have been bringing their laptops and doing their homework on the plane and hotels.”
But when Oregon battles St. Bonaventure at 7 p.m., the Ducks will be without the services of their starting goalkeeper.
Sophomore Anna Poponyak injured her left knee early in the first half of an 11-10 overtime loss to Baltimore, Maryland County on Sunday. Awaiting the results of an MRI, freshman Sam Debow will replace Poponyak as the Ducks’ starting goalkeeper until Poponyak is healthy enough to play, Larsen said Tuesday.
Debow has played in all of Oregon’s matches this season except for the Stanford match at home and against Georgetown on its most recent road trip. In 131.33 minutes, she has allowed 21 goals and made 15 saves, including seven against UC Davis in the Ducks’ second MPSF conference victory of the season.
“Sam has stepped up and has gotten some playing time, and this is precisely why we give her the time,” Larsen said. “Sam went in there and made some key saves in a time when you don’t want to just throw in any goalkeeper.”
After playing St. Bonaventure, the Ducks play Vermont at 7 p.m. on Monday and take on Longwood at 7 p.m. Finally, the Ducks will play Colgate at 1 p.m. the following Saturday. In other action at Papé Field, St. Bonaventure takes on Vermont on Saturday at 1 p.m., Colgate faces Vermont on Thursday at 5 p.m. and Vermont takes on Longwood on Saturday at 11 a.m.
Last year, Oregon lost to Longwood 15-10 in Farmville, Va., and 10-7 in the 2004-05 season on the road. The Ducks were defeated by Colgate 15-7 in Hamilton, N.Y., and, in the program’s first year, lost 15-9. The Ducks defeated Vermont 15-7 in Burlington, Vt., last season and have never played St. Bonaventure.
The home stretch marks Oregon’s last battles at Papé Field this year, coming before the Ducks play their final seven matches on the road.
“We are just trying to piece together our game and that’s all we want to do,” Larsen said of the upcoming matches. “We need to take care of the ball and be consistent with the level of play. We need to work our offense that gives us quality shooting opportunities and limit the transition goals against us.” Oregon received six votes in the latest Inside Lacrosse Women’s Media Poll and seven points in the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association Poll.