Oregon soccer escaped with a 3-2 win Sunday against Furman in Greenville, South Carolina. 

It seemed that the Ducks would cruise to an easy victory after two goals in the first 10 minutes of the match. However, Oregon conceded two goals and was forced to rely on the heroics of Zoe Hasenauer in the 86th minute to lift Oregon to victory. On the game-winner, Hasenauer drove the ball to the middle of the pitch and then blasted in the goal from 30 yards away. 

“Zoe played lights out and was determined to get the win today,” head coach Kat Mertz said in a press release.

Oregon showcased its offensive potency throughout the match. In the opening minutes of the game, Eugene local Jordan Wormdahl scored on a header, her sixth goal in as many games.  Wormdahl was assisted by Sakura Yoshida, who has elevated her passing game in recent weeks. Yoshida earned her second assist minutes later as she sent a cross to Ally Cook who scored on a header as well. 

As the match progressed, the hot start cooled for the Ducks and Furman chipped away at Oregon’s lead. Kyndal Anderson scored Furman’s first goal in the 45th minute. In the second half, Erin Houlihan put away a header to tie the game. 

Suddenly, a seemingly probable win was in jeopardy. But Hasenauer’s screamer that hit the left side of the net decided the game on an emphatic note.

Oregon’s offense is off to a strong start as they have converted 15 goals in six games, the most for the program since 1997. Perhaps more impressively, the offense has been led by underclassmen such as Wormdal, Hasenauer, Yoshida and Cook. Freshman Maya Hahn had her three-game scoring streak broken against Furman. 

The Ducks return home to play the University of Portland on Friday at Pape Field. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.