Ducks Wrap Homestand Saturday Against Central Michigan

EUGENE, Ore. – Oregon lacrosse will close out the season-opening homestand on Saturday, Feb. 22, at 2 p.m. when the Ducks host Central Michigan at Papé Field.

GAME INFO
When: Saturday, Feb. 22
Where: Papé Field | Eugene, Ore.
Time: 2 p.m. PT
Watch: https://www.bigtenplus.com/en-int/livestream/c-michigan-at-oregon/1871442
Live Stats: http://statb.us/b/574207

SENSATIONAL START FOR SIMMONS
Few players in the country have had a more explosive start to the season than midfielder Anna Simmons. Simmons scored six goals in the season opener, which matched her career high, before raising the bar her next time out, finding the back of the net seven times against Stetson to match the Oregon single-game record. She entered the week as the national leader in goals scored (17) and tied for eighth in the country in total points (17), while her 5.7 goals per games leads the Big Ten Conference and is the highest in the nation among players who have appeared in more than one game.

» Simmons is the only player in the Big Ten to be named Midfielder of the Week so far this season, winning the award each of the last two weeks.
» Her 17 goals are the most by a Duck in any three-game stretch in program history.
» Seven goals in a game is tied for the most by any player in the nation this season.
» Tallied a first-half hat trick in all three games so far this season.
» Set career highs in goals (33), assists (8), points (42), caused turnovers (21) and draw controls (38) in 2024.

SCORE BIG OR GO HOME
Oregon has started the 2025 season red-hot, outscoring its first three opponents by a combined 50-20 margin en route to the second 3-0 start in program history. The Ducks' +30 goal differential ranks second in the Big Ten behind only Northwestern (+36) through the first two weeks of play and is Oregon's largest since starting the 2014 season by outscoring its first three foes by 35 goals. The Ducks have been especially dangerous in the first half of games, as they have outscored opponents by a combined 33-6 margin in the opening 30 minutes.

» Anna Simmons (17) and Avery Young (8) have combined to score 25 goals while leading Oregon to its second 3-0 start in program history. No Duck duo has ever scored more in a three-game stretch, and the pair has tallied more goals this season than 58 Division I teams, including Central Michigan (17).
» The quick-strike offense off the opening draw has proved to be effective for UO, as the Ducks have scored the first goals in each game in under a minute. Bri Carrasquillo scored the first goal of the season just 12 seconds after the opening draw against Butler, while Simmons needed just 10 seconds to find the back of the net after the whistle sounded against Stetson.
» The Game 1 win over Butler was UO's largest margin of victory in a season opener since topping Presbyterian, 18-1, in 2015.

DOMINATING DEFENSE
The Oregon defense has been stifling to start the season. UO's backline has held opponents to just 38 shots on goal through the first two games and has forced 47 turnovers. In the season opener against Butler, the Duck defense allowed only two total shots in the first 30 minutes of play as Oregon jumped out to a 14-0 lead.

» The 2024 Ducks held opponents under eight goals 10 times after doing so just three times in the three seasons prior. This year's squad has done so in each of the first three games.
» Paige Crowther boasts the second-highest save percentage (.588) in the Big Ten, while her .411 career save percentage ranks sixth in program history.

COMMANDING THE CENTER CIRCLE
The Ducks have dominated the draw control battle so far this season, holding a 54-24 edge through three games thanks in large part to the stellar play of Rachel Pallo. The junior has totaled 27 DCs to start the season, the second most in the Big Ten and tied for the ninth-most nationally. She tied her own program record with 12 draw controls in the win over Columbia last time out as the Ducks held a 21-4 advantage for the game.

» Pallo ranks 10th in program history with 118 career draw controls.
» Though she lacks the games played necessary to qualify yet, her 3.37 draw controls per game through her first 35 games would be the most in program history. Carly O'Connell currently holds the UO record at 2.90.

DUCKS ON THE B1G STAGE
A new dawn begins for Oregon Lacrosse this spring as the program enters its first season as a member of the Big Ten Conference. Competition will be steep as five of the Ducks' eight new conference opponents ended the 2024 season in the top-25, but Oregon heads into Year 2 under head coach Jessica Drummond with momentum after setting a new single-season program record for home wins (7) and securing its first winning season since 2017 a year ago. Conference play officially gets underway when the Ducks host Ohio State on March 13.

GAME RECOGNIZED
Three Ducks garnered recognition from the Big Ten Conference before the season started. Anna Simmons, defender Lexi Jenkins and midfielder Avery Young were among the 27 players across the conference named to the Big Ten Preseason Players to Watch list.

» Jenkins started all 15 games for the Ducks during her freshman season and was an integral part of Oregon's increased intensity on defense. The 2024 Ducks held opponents under eight goals 10 times after doing so just three times in the three seasons prior.
» Young impressed early in her debut campaign, scoring three goals and adding two assists in three games before being sidelined by injury.

SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
Saturday marks the second-ever meeting between the Ducks and Chippewas and the first in Eugene. The two squads met for the first time in 2021 in Mount Pleasant with the Ducks falling in overtime, 12-11, in a back-and-forth battle. Central Michigan claimed the 2024 MAC regular season title but is off to an 0-3 start this season, including losses to No. 11 Notre Dame and No. 8 Michigan. Senior attacker Reagan Martinsen leads CMU in goals, assists and points through three games, while Alexa Martel has spent the majority of the season in goal and sports a .429 save percentage.