Minutes into its match against conference heavyweight Stanford, Oregon looked like it might just trip over the same Cardinal hurdle that’s prevented the squad from starting 1-0 since the lacrosse became a Division I varsity sport two years ago.
Trailing by a goal at Papé Field and already drenched from a rain shower that refused to let up until the second half, Ducks coach Jen Larsen called a timeout. She said after they recomposed, her squad decided to get themselves out of the slump.
“I am subbing in the right people onto the field, but they were making the right decisions out there,” Larsen said.
And instead of another loss at the hands of Stanford, Oregon handed the 16th-ranked Cardinal their first season-opening loss since 2000 by winning 10-6 Saturday afternoon.
Sophomore Ilsa van den Berg registered a game-high three goals, and sophomore Casey Rector added two goals and an assist in Oregon’s first victory against the Cardinal, who were picked 16th by Lacrosse Magazine in its national preseason college rankings.
Stanford, which finished 12-6 last season, was also the first Mountain Pacific Sports Federation team last year to ever make it into the NCAA Tournament, eventually losing to national champion Northwestern.
And until the upset Saturday, Oregon had lost to Stanford in the previous two meetings, losing last season 18-9 on the road and 19-6 in Eugene in 2005.
“You do remember the games of the past, but we never had a part (today) where we doubted ourselves,” said van den Berg.
Stanford’s Michelle DeChant scored quickly in the first two minutes of the match and Cardinal freshman Lauren Schmidt took only seconds to match Oregon’s first goal by junior Kate Fleming, who started in place of an injured Erin Gaebe.
But down 2-1, Oregon roared back with three straight scores. The Ducks ended the first half on a 5-2 run, which boosted its lead to 6-4.
“We’ve finally got the confidence to play with this team,” Larsen said. “When they felt that Stanford was backing down a little bit they just charged and continued to go further.”
The Ducks dictated the pace of a physical second half, locking down on the defensive end and controlling the ball. Junior Jen May netted one of Oregon’s four decisive second-half goals in the first minute out of the break, but lay motionless with eight minutes remaining after apparently being hit in the head by an opponent’s stick. Referees eventually halted the action as she was lifted up and helped to walk off the field.
Her status for next week’s game against UC Davis is uncertain.
Junior Theresa Waldron notched a game-high four assists, including one to junior Lindsay Killian that helped Oregon grab its first lead.
“My teammates were just in the right spots at the right time and I just happened to see them,” Waldron said.
Redshirt sophomore Alison Leiner landed a goal and had an assist. The team’s only senior, North Carolina transfer Brooke Dieringer, scored a goal and recorded an assist.
“She’s stepping in there and keeping everybody composed,” Larsen said of Dieringer. “Her leadership is going take us to the next level.”
The monumental victory comes against a Stanford team that has won the last two MPSF Tournaments. The Cardinal defeated Denver 12-6 last season and beat California 12-9 in 2005.
The Ducks stay at home to host UC Davis Sunday at 1 p.m. at Papé Field.