During practice last Friday, the women’s lacrosse team (11-6, 4-1 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) reviewed game tape of its 10-6 upset victory over then-No. 16 Stanford.
It was a proactive measure, considering the Cardinal (6-8, 3-2 MPSF) are seeded third in this weekend’s MPSF Tournament in Davis, Calif., and will begin their venture for a third straight conference title today in a quarterfinal game against the conference’s worst team, No. 6-seeded St. Mary’s (3-12, 0-5 MPSF). The winner of that match will take on second-seed Oregon tomorrow in a semifinal game.
After watching footage of their encounter with Stanford, the Ducks popped in video of Stanford’s 10-9 victory against Vanderbilt, the Cardinal’s fourth win of the season.
Junior Jen May said that the tape proved that just as Oregon has improved throughout the course of the season, Stanford has done the same.
Undoubtedly, the Cardinal will look to avenge their opening-season loss this weekend – their first since 2000 – if they get past the Gaels.
“Stanford is gonna be out to get us,” May said. “They weren’t ready for us, and I think they are really mad they lost for the first time.”
Junior Kate Fleming said the victory against the Cardinal this year was the Ducks’ best match of the season. She said another win against them would be monumental for the team’s confidence.
“I think the Stanford win just set the tone for the rest of the year,” Fleming said. “We got crushed by them the last two years and then to win by four was a really big deal for us. If we beat them twice, then it means it wasn’t a fluke.”
The larger goal for Oregon is to improve on what it has done in the past.
“We have always set a goal to finish higher than we went in,” Fleming said. “Last year we went in fifth and finished third and this year we are coming in second so we need to finish first.”
If Oregon defeats the winner of the St. Mary’s/Stanford match, it will go on to play in the MPSF Finals on Sunday. The Ducks would go up against either No. 1-seeded Denver, or No. 5-seed UC Davis or No. 4-seed California, if the winner of their quarterfinal match upsets the No. 15-ranked Pioneers.
“I want to play Denver again so bad,” May said.
However well the Ducks do, several of the juniors are already getting excited about the prospect of a veteran-clad 2008 squad.
“We aren’t really losing hardly anyone,” Fleming said. “We are all juniors. We can only go up from here.”
May said she can’t believe three years have gone by so fast. Now a star and team leader on the team, she is amazed by how much they’ve improved.
“Just look at Stanford freshman year to this year,” May said. “We have just come together as a unit and done better each year. We have all the confidence in the world and next year when we are all seniors we have nothing to lose.”
One of May’s goals – landing an NCAA Tournament berth by her senior season – is on Oregon’s horizon, she said.
“Next year we are just playing all-out because that is all we have left,” May said. “I’m hoping next year we come up and beat some huge teams and get in the rankings and hopefully make the Tournament.”
Throughout Oregon’s pursuit to get there, May said the Ducks have grown into a family.
“We have become a family of sisters and I love these girls that have been here with me and stuck it out,” May said. “There is a connection and a bond there that no one can touch.”