Lacrosse Launches Homestand Thursday

EUGENE, Ore. – Oregon lacrosse will play the first game of a four-game stretch at Papé Field against San Diego State on Thursday at noon.

GAME INFO
When: Thursday, March 6
Where: Papé Field | Eugene, Ore.
Time: 12 p.m. PT
Watch: https://www.bigtenplus.com/en-int/livestream/san-diego-st-at-oregon/1883033
Live Stats: http://statb.us/b/574208

ANNA SIMMONS: SUPERSTAR
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 by finding the back of the net seven times against Stetson to match the Oregon single-game record. The junior is tied for third in the Big Ten and 22nd nationally with 24 goals scored this season while leading the Ducks with 15 ground balls, 12 caused turnovers and ranking second in draw controls (15).

» Named the Big Ten Midfielder of the Week each of the first three weeks of the season.
» Only player is the nation with 20-plus goals, 15-plus ground balls and 10-plus caused turnovers.
» Set career highs against Central Michigan with seven ground balls and five caused turnovers
» One of 28 players nationally to score seven-plus goals in a game.
» Scored a hat trick in five of six games, four of which came in the first half.
» 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 six opponents by a combined 86-53 margin and posting a 64-23 advantage in games played at Papé Field. The Ducks' +33 goal differential ranks third in the Big Ten behind only No. 3 Northwestern and No. 5 Michigan. UO has been especially dangerous in the first half of games, as they have outscored opponents by a combined 56-23 margin in the opening 30 minutes.

» The quick-strike offense off the opening draw has proved to be effective for UO, as the Ducks have scored the first goal in each game and done so in under a minute five times, with three of those coming in the first 15 seconds of play.
» Anna Simmons holds the program record for fastest goal, needing just five seconds to find paydirt against Marist last season.
» The Game 1 win over Butler was UO's largest margin of victory in a season opener since topping Presbyterian 18-1 to start the 2015 campaign.

DEFENDING PAPÉ FIELD
Oregon has stifled opponents in Eugene and is looking to start the season 5-0 at home for just the second time in program history after doing so for the first time last season. UO's backline is allowing just 5.75 goals per game at home and is holding opponents to just 63 shots on goal while forcing 72 turnovers en route to a 4-0 start at Papé Field. 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. Before flocking south to California, the Ducks caused 13 turnovers and picked up 24 ground balls against CMU, setting season highs in both categories.

» 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 four times in the first six games.
» Oregon had only allowed three goals or less two times since 2018 before doing so against Central Michigan.
» Paige Crowther boasts the 12th-highest save percentage nationally and ranks fourth in the Big Ten (.512).
» Crowther's .415 career save percentage ranks sixth in program history, while her five saves against Cal moved her up to ninth on the UO career saves list (124).

COMMANDING THE CENTER CIRCLE
The Ducks have dominated the draw control battle so far this season, holding a 92-58 edge thanks in large part to the stellar play of Rachel Pallo. The junior has totaled 42 DCs to start the season and tied her own program record with 12 draw controls in the win over Columbia as the Ducks held a 21-4 advantage for the game.

» Tallied at least five DCs in five of six games so far this season.
» Pallo moved up to seventh in program history with 133 DCs, passing head coach Jessica Drummond in the career standings after tallying five against UC Davis.
» Though she lacks the games played necessary to qualify yet, her 3.50 draw controls per game through her first 38 games would be the most in program history. Carly O'Connell currently holds the UO record at 2.90.
» Lexi Jenkins recorded a career-high five draw controls against Cal and has tallied three or more DCs three times this season.

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.

» Anna Simmons, Lexi Jenkins and Avery Young were among the 27 players across the conference named to the Big Ten Preseason Players to Watch list.

THE SDSU SITCH
After meeting last year as conference foes, the Ducks and the Aztecs will once against square off as nonconference opponents. Oregon is 3-8 against San Diego State all time and is looking for its first win against the Aztecs since 2017. Nine Ducks scored in the back-and-forth battle at Papé Field last season, but SDSU capitalized on a late free position opportunity to win 13-12.

Three Aztecs - Bella Tan (21), Frankie Garcia (19) and Kate Christos (10) - have recorded double-digit goals, while Garcia leads the squad and ranks in the top-50 nationally with 10 assists. Tan (T-2nd) and Garcia (5th) also rank among the leaders in the Big 12 in goals scored. Caitlin Boughton has spent the majority of the season in goal for the Aztecs, ranking fourth in the conference with 7.50 saves per game.