Written by Eleanor Foster

EUGENE, OR –– The Oregon Ducks (4-7) face the Arizona State Sun Devils (4-8) this Friday at 4 pm PST, kicking off the season’s final weekend of home play at Papé Field. The Ducks have proven their resilience, securing a 13-12 overtime win over UC Davis last Saturday. Oregon and Arizona State saw their last matchup on March 24th, with a Sun Devil victory of 12-4.

Oregon

The Ducks fly into the weekend with high spirits, capitalizing off of a recent triumph in their second overtime in as many weeks. Saturday’s game brought redemption from defeat against Colorado, and both players and coaches are ready to channel this confidence into the rest of the season. Head Coach Chelsea Hoffman was proud of the way the Ducks were able to seal the win against UC Davis, despite being in overtime.

“That’s ultimately what the resilience came out of, that mental toughness,” Hoffman said. This dedication throughout the game and refusal let up characterizes the team and accounts for their latest success.

But it was also Hoffman’s own attentiveness to the game and advocacy for her team that helped secure the win against Davis. In an exciting and unexpected turn of events, Oregon committed a foul during overtime, resulting in a free position for UC Davis, which they were able to score off of. The sideline erupted into celebration, with UC Davis players storming the field, at which point an additional crosse was thrown onto the ground. This interfered with the referee’s ability to verify the legality of the scoring crosse, a fact not lost on Hoffman, who was quick to act.

“It’s not really in my character to run on the field and yell at the refs… For me it was more about the passion to back my team up,” Hoffman said. The point was invalidated, and the Ducks jumped at the opportunity, allowing Midfielder Morgan McCarthy to score the game-winning goal.

Coming out of this win, team morale is high and the Ducks will be sure to make use of this momentum, heading into the weekend.

“I know what our team is capable of. I trust each and every person on this field and off the field with the ball, with everything,” affirmed McCarthy, who also saw her fifth hat trick of the season.

During the game, eight different players scored goals for the Ducks, and the team was able to claim its first overtime victory since 2018. Hoffman described Saturday as “a big confidence booster” heading into the remainder of the season.

Arizona State
The Sun Devils also come off a victory, securing a 15-6 win over the California Golden Bears, in which they scored 10 goals in the first half for the second time this season. On the defensive end, goalie Katie Vahle reached a career-high saving percentage of .750. Scoring was dominant as well for the Sun Devils, with Midfielder Berit Brookefield scoring her first hat trick, and Kaylong Buckner leading the team in scoring with four goals and two assists over both weekend games. The Sun Devils have now reached an impressive clear-percentage of 94.5%, placing them 3rd overall in the country. Arizona State has won 6 out of 8 of the most recent matchups with Oregon, and the Ducks will have to look out for Sun Devils’ aggressive offensive as the teams face off for the second time this season.

Prediction
This should be a good match-up, but with the momentum from their last game and impressive offense, ASU is in a solid place to win this one. ASU wins 16-12.