By Liam Baker
Eugene, Ore — The Oregon Ducks (1-1) will look to respond after a narrow 12-10 defeat to Niagara University last weekend as they host the Kennesaw State Owls (1-2) at Papé Field this Sunday at 12 p.m. The Ducks opened the season strong with a dominant 17-6 victory over Xavier in which Morgan McCarthy, Haley Cummins and Riley Taylor all recorded hat tricks. Last time out, the Ducks struggled to find consistency on the offensive end against Niagara tallying just seven goals in the first 58 minutes before McCarthy added three in the last two minutes. The Ducks will look to get back on track against the Owls before hitting the road for a two-game east coast road trip.
The Oregon Ducks
The Ducks are led by Junior midfielder Morgan McCarthy, who already has 8 goals in the young season. She scored five goals against Niagara and has been a vital piece to Oregon's success so far in regard to both goal-scoring and leadership. The Ducks run their offense through McCarthy as well as freshman Lauren Rismani. Rismani has four assists on the season and helped facilitate the offense from behind the goal, passing into the eight-meter arc as other Ducks cut toward the goal. Oregon's quick passing and strong attack have resulted in a plethora of free-position shots for the Ducks, yet they have been inconsistent when it comes to converting those opportunities. Oregon was 5-6 on free position shots against Xavier but just 1-7 in their loss to Niagara. On the defensive side of the ball, the Ducks are anchored by team captains Logan Gierke and Lexie Likins. The duo has combined for 7 ground balls and four caused turnovers this season. In goal, both Cassidy Eckert (.429 save percentage) and Paige Crowther (.517 SV%) have seen action, but Crowther played the entire game against Niagara. Expect Crowther to get the start on Sunday.
The Kennesaw State Owls
After opening the season with a 22-4 victory over Reinhart, the Owls have lost their last two by a combined four goals. In their most recent game, a 12-11 loss to Longwood, the Owls fell behind by six in the second half but were not able to complete the comeback despite posting a six-goal fourth quarter. The Owls' attack is led by junior Hannah Barth, senior Mia MacKenzie and sophomore Hannah Davis. The trio has combined for 24 goals and 33 total points this season. The Owls, much like the Ducks, have also struggled with free position shots this season as they are just 10-19. Kennesaw State also excels at causing turnovers. They have caused 28 turnovers this season, led by junior Rachel Price who has seven caused turnovers. In the goalie circle, the Owls will likely start Julia Weiss (.429 SV%), but backup goalie Errin Crowe will also see play.
Potential Starting Lineup - Oregon
A - Lauren Rismani
A - Gabby Cleveland
A - Alyssa Wright
A - Haley Cummins
M - Morgan McCarthy
M - Katie Collins
M - Mara Zajac
D - Sydnie Soto
D - Logan Gierke
D - Margot Hotham
D - Lexie Likins
GK - Paige Crowther
Potential Starting Lineup - Kennesaw State
A - Jaxsyn Schonewille
A - Leyton Payne
A - Hannah Davis
M - Mia MacKenzie
M - Devon Webb
M - Lauren Dobbs
M - Hannah Barth
M - Bailey Wilson
M - Caroline Farley
D - Rylee Dockery
D - Rachel Price
GK - Julia Weiss
Keys to Victory
- Convert their free-position shots
- Get Morgan McCarthy and Lauren Rismani the ball
- Limit Hannah Barth and Mia MacKenzie
Prediction: Ducks 14, Owls 10