By Ty Goss
Eugene, Ore. — After a triumphant pair of home wins on Papé Field for Oregon, coach Jessica Drummond and her Ducks are looking to pivot toward their bout against Marist College. Oregon is riding high in the season so far, winning both of its first two games while outscoring opponents 36-15.
Oregon Ducks
The Ducks have experienced a series of early breakouts at the start of the season, with multiple underclassmen making performances that would be expected out of more established stars. After scoring eight goals in 17 games played in the 2023 season, sophomore Anna Simmons is a clear rising star on the team, recording a team-leading nine goals in two games, with six coming in the Ducks’ matchup against St. Francis. Second on the Ducks in goals is Haley Cummins, a senior experiencing a later-blossom breakout with seven goals, one shy of her previous season-high. A name that has been surprisingly quiet to start the year is Morgan McCarthy’s. Last year, McCarthy starred, receiving All-Pac-12 second-team honors while leading the Ducks in goals with 37. With two goals in two games, it has been a slow start for McCarthy, but the weak Marist defense may give opportunities to McCarthy to get back into 2023 season form. While Oregon’s high-flying attack has starred, the Ducks' equally impressive midfield and setup game has fueled the offense to burn bright, with Lauren Rismani and Rachel Pallo playing vital roles. Rismani has notched up six assists so far in the first two games of the season, building off of her great season last year where she acted as the main disher for the offense. In the midfield, Rachell Pallo has been a force of nature, racking up an Oregon record 11 draw controls in her last matchup against St. Francis. On the defensive side, the Ducks have been solid, if unspectacular. Senior Sydnie Soto has been the keystone of the defense, but Oregon’s defense has struggled with foul trouble, marring an otherwise great start to the year. In the net, it's been a tale of two goalies for the Ducks. Sophomore Thayer Hubbard through two games is sporting a .583% save percentage, while senior Cassidy Eckert has uncharacteristically struggled so far in the year, posting a .231% save percentage.
Marist Red Foxes
Led by first-year head coach Keith Detelj, the Marist Red Foxes are still searching for their first win of the year. On the year, Marist is 0-2 with its most result game ending in a 9-20 loss to Binghamton. Characterized by an inconsistent offense and porous defense, suffering a -22 goal differential with an average of 19.5 goals allowed per game. The Red Fox offense is led by the clear star of the team, graduate student Kerri Gutenberger, who has netted five goals and two assists on the year. In addition, Gutenberger leads the team with 11 draw controls. Second on the team in points is graduate student Olivia Arntsen, a balanced attacker with two assists and three goals on the year. The defense is led by junior Juliana Palumbo, who recorded seven ground balls in Marist’s first game of the year versus New Hampshire before her performance drying up against Binghamton. In goal, expect to see senior Miranda Lopes, who has had a rough start to the season. With just under 84 minutes logged this season, Lopes is recording a .237% save percentage, with a goals-against average of 20.72 per game. While Marist has struggled on both sides of the ball, the defense is the clear weak point, something that the high-flying Ducks offense will be keen to attack.
Keys to Victory
- Keep the attack high-paced
- Improve upon allowed fouls, while trying to draw more on offense
- Maintain cohesion on defense and limit free shots on goal for Marist
- Feed Simmons and Cummins on offense
Prediction: 23-7, Ducks
This Oregon Ducks offense has been near-unstoppable to start the season, and I see no reason why they can’t continue their dominance against the weakest defense they’ll face up to this point in the season. The Ducks win in dominant blowout fashion to stay undefeated on the year.