Coach Tara Erickson was not quite up for calling Oregon’s first practice after losing to Washington and tying Washington State last weekend a “punishment practice.”
“It was a discover-your-inner-self practice,” she said.
Training on Tuesday began before any soccer balls came out. Erickson gave the women timed marks and sent them out on a nearby trail to test their endurance.
After the physical fitness test, the women practiced for two hours, which gave them a chance to run some more.
“It’s great to get back to practice,” Erickson said with a smile. “They had to grind it out a little bit. Sometimes that’s necessary.”
Erickson’s point was to reinforce that Friday’s match against Oregon State will require just as much effort.
“I think we bounced back (after practice) and really believe that the Civil War comes down to heart and determination and who wants it more,” Erickson said.
At 7 p.m. tomorrow, Oregon (8-7-2 overall, 1-3-2 Pacific-10 Conference) will look for its first victory in Corvallis since 2003, when the squad won 4-3 in overtime.
The Beavers (7-8-2, 0-5-1) ended their match against Washington in a 1-1 tie on Friday. Two days later, the squad lost 2-1 to Washington State after Allison Scurich netted a penalty kick with just less than 10 minutes left in the match.
Erickson expects both teams to be as fiery as always.
“Any rivalry game relies on a lot of emotion and we will try to get the players fired up for that,” Erickson said. “And we could potentially have only three games to play and, to our seniors, that means a lot. I think they will lead us and I will challenge everyone.”
Oregon currently sits in eighth place in the Pac-10. The Ducks’ chances of receiving an NCAA Tournament berth are uncertain, though they appear slim with just three matches remaining. A victory over Oregon State guarantees Oregon a .500-win season. That, however, is an unfavorable reality – not a consolation – for a team that Erickson said expected more.
“It is hard when you lose an opportunity, but really lose it yourself,” Erickson said of her team’s losses. “You give that opportunity to another team. There have been some disappointing moments but it is all about what you do after that disappointment and how you respond.”
Oregon defeated Oregon State last season 2-1 at home. Erickson said the Ducks have a shot at more than a repeat victory tomorrow.
“We can repeat if we can get our heads in the right spot and keep them there,” Erickson said. “And then carry that same momentum into the weekend. If we can win these last games then, hey, we would definitely put ourselves in the position to get to the NCAA Tournament. But more importantly, we would stay positive for the program and long-term goals of continuing the success of Oregon soccer.”
Sophomore Teresa Bowns said the season has been disappointing at times, but all the team can do now is try to win every match. It’s a hard realization, she added, that the NCAA Tournament may be out of reach.
“It is definitely tough to swallow,” Bowns said. “We definitely had some letdowns but we also had some good times and good games, and we are still the team everyone thinks we are. Maybe, hopefully, we can prove ourselves in these next few games.”
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