After 81 games in an Oregon Ducks uniform, Chardonnay Curran has finally broken the school record for most starts in a career. The Ducks didn’t let that distract them though, as they scored an overtime goal to beat Utah 1-0 at Ute Field in Salt Lake City.

Curran is now on the top of the list all on her own after tying the record in their previous match against Colorado. She broke the 10-year-old record set by Danielle Sweeney and matched by Scout Libke. 

For the first 90 minutes, the Ducks struggled against the third-worst team in the conference. Offensively, they were missing the final pass for most of the match. While Duck forwards made good runs throughout the game, Oregon was unable to find the right pass to put them in on goal. 

The Ducks were inches away from finding the opening goal in the 37th minute when Lexi Romero fended off Utah defenders and struck the ball with her left foot. The ball was partially deflected by Utah goalkeeper Chelsea Peterson and then cleared off the line by defender Brianna Pearson. 

For the second straight game, the Ducks played in overtime to try and find a winner, and this time they found it. Ally Cook scored her eighth goal of the season for the Ducks in the 108th minute. It was a part of a beautiful counterattack from the Ducks and it secured a conference win for them. 

Although Oregon’s offense continues to struggle to find the goals to win games in regulation, its defense continues to hold strong. The defense allowed only two shots on goal in the entire game. 

Through seven conference games, the Ducks have conceded just six goals. Only USC and Washington State have allowed fewer goals during conference play. With a 1-0 win against Utah, they have now tied Washington State for the most shutouts in the conference.

Despite having a strong performance, Oregon has struggled when defending the second ball on a corner kick. The Utes had a wonderful chance in the 81st minute when they won the first ball and headed it down to the feet of defender Brianna Pearson. While the shot was saved, the Ducks needed to be better after defending the initial cross. 

The Ducks’ record improves to 9-2-5 on the season while Utah falls to 6-8-3. Oregon returns to Eugene this Thursday for a battle of top defenses as the Ducks take on Washington State.