Oregon Defeats Utah in Fog Fest

Thursday, October 26

Eugene, Ore.

7:00 PM

University of Oregon

8-9-0, 2-7-0

Utah

5-9-3, 0-7-2

Utah

Oregon

10/26/17 | Women's Soccer

Box Score Oregon-Utah Box Score 2017 Season Statistics

Drake Hills

EUGENE, Ore. – Oregon beat the Utah Utes Thursday night, 3-0, in what became was a battle through the fog at Papé Field. The Ducks wore their scoring boots tonight, finding the back of the net in both halves. A quick turnaround will find Oregon back at Papé Sunday at 11 a.m. against Colorado (Pac 12 Networks).

How It Happened: From the first whistle, the Ducks threw players forward and pressed Utah's back line, leading to Oregon assuming most of the possession. The Ducks outshot the Utes five to two in the first half; yet, only one shot challenged Oregon goalkeeper and captain Halla Hinriksdottir.

After 40 minutes, the Ducks casually played the ball up the field and possession ended up at senior forward and captain Miranda Schulz's feet. With a few teammates in the box, Schultz whipped a cross from 25 yards out, finding junior midfielder Nicole Seaman. The Scottsdale, Ariz., native sealed her defender in the middle of the box and headed it home for her first career goal.

Second half action was no different for Oregon and it didn't take much time to add to the goal tally. It was Schulz's turn to go for glory. After a mini-game of pinball inside the 18 yard box, Schultz fired a shot into the top right corner for the second goal in the 47th minute. It was her second goal in 2017.

The fog grew thicker as the match went on and the Utes were pressing on for a goal. Utah's Paola Van Der Veen pressed for opportunities but the Ducks defense held strong and Hinriksdottir made sure of her sixth clean sheet in 2017.

Hinriksdottir notched her eight win of the season, which is one off the school single-season record held by three different players. Hinriksdottir's sixth shutout of the year is also just one shy of the UO single-season record of seven set by Jessie Chatfield in 2005.

Towards the end of the match, Oregon was able to steal possession from Utah once again and the Ducks counter attack was on. Senior defender Michelle Rockey cleared the ball well into Utah's defensive half. Eugene native Emma Eddy raced to save the ball from going out of bounds. Eddy crossed it to a marked Seaman but the Utah defender whiffed at her chance to save it. Seaman was clear for a one-on-one opportunity with Utah's goalkeeper and finessed her shot into the bottom corner.

"To come in and for me to contribute to our team winning, obviously it's great," Seaman said. "My first career goal too but to get two in a game is an unbelievable feeling."

Seaman was streamed with love from her teammates after both goals and head coach Kat Mertz thought she deserved every minute of it.

"Nicole has been working so hard for this moment," Mertz said. "It's been an evolution, a process for her. She earned the start against Arizona State and hasn't looked back since so for her to get the two goals tonight, I'm a proud coach and very happy for her."

Notable: The 7 p.m. kickoff gives Papé Field a pristine look and as Coach Mertz has said that the players enjoy the night game. Fog casually covered the Eugene skies but didn't stop the Ducks from scoring three goals.

"That fog came in the second half and there was one point when I wondered what was going on out there," Mertz said.

Rest assured, the Ducks sealed the win in what could be known as the 'fog fest.'

Rockey, a senior from Woodland Hills, Calif., got her first career assist on Seaman's second goal, while Emma Eddy got her first assist as a Duck.

What This Means: The Pac 12 has been a challenge for the Ducks but they aren't done yet. With two matches left in the season, Oregon has shown strides of improvement. In fact, this season's eight wins matches the most wins under Mertz since her appointment in 2013.

Up Next: Oregon closes in on its last two matches against Colorado Sunday at 11 a.m. as Senior Day, followed by a trip to Corvallis to face the Oregon State Beavers. Both matches will air on Pac 12 Networks.

- goducks -