Ducks Drop Big Ten Opener

Thursday, September 10

Eugene, OR

6:00 PM

University of Oregon

5-1-1, 0-1-0

Rutgers

2-1-3, 1-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
Rutgers	0	1	1
Oregon	0	0	0

09/10/26 | Women's Soccer

Box Score Rutgers 1, Oregon 0

EUGENE, Ore. – The first goal allowed by Oregon in the run of play this season proved to be the difference as the Ducks dropped their Big Ten opener to Rutgers 1-0 Thursday before 673 fans at Papé Field.

The Ducks (5-1-1, 0-1-0) had 20 shots on the night, 10 of which were on goal. Another three hit the post or crossbar, but none found the back of the net.

Rutgers (2-1-3, 1-0-0) scored the only goal of the match early in the second half off of a set piece.

"I think today we didn't necessarily play our best brand, and we didn't play together in the way that we have in the past," said coach Tracy Joyner. "It's the Big Ten Conference and many of our young players may not have been sure what to expect, and it's hard to replicate that at training. So I think now we know what it looks like, and we'll bounce back on Sunday."

The Ducks host Maryland Sunday at 1 p.m.

How It Happened: Statistically, the Ducks had the advantage in most areas. Oregon outshot Rutgers 20-16 and attempted a season-high eight corner kicks to the Scarlet Knights' one. The Ducks allowed just three shots on goal, though one was the game-winner.

Oregon took nine shots in the first 30 minutes of the match, including a pair on goal by Ellie Felt and a header by Cloe Chase that was also on target. Shiloh Baird cracked a shot off the post in the 19^th minute.

"I think we missed some opportunities in the first half," said Joyner. "It can be hard to bounce back when you're generating great opportunities that you aren't able to finish. Unfortunately, we didn't put away finishes that we needed to and that we should have."

Just after halftime, an Oregon foul set up a free kick for Rutgers 35 yards out on the left side of Oregon's half. The kick went into a scrum of players near the 18 yard-line and squirted out to Amanda Thornton, who fired a shot through traffic into the right side of the net.

"That was not a great goal to give up," said Joyner. "It was off of a set piece and kind of scrappy in there.

"But outside of that one moment, they didn't have a lot of opportunities, and we had generated some even better ones for ourselves in the second half," said Joyner. "Unfortunately, we just didn't get it done today."

Carly Cormack sent two shots on goal in the final 15 minutes of the match. Baird also managed a couple of late strikes, the last one of which resulted in the 10^th save of the night for Rutgers' goalkeeper Olivia Bodmer.

Notable: Oregon's scoreless streak came to an end at 406:29 minutes, which is the fourth-longest in program history … Baird led the Ducks with four shots, while Chase and Felt both attempted three … Oregon was without starter Abella Hunter who suffered a lower leg injury in last week's game against Utah … This was Rutgers' first match in Eugene.

Quotable:
Head coach Tracy Joyner
"We have a young squad, so they'll learn a lot from this game and how to manage games more effectively. You know we rotated quite a few players. That was the most strikers I think we played in the game so far."

Up Next: Oregon's four-match homestand concludes Sunday when the Ducks host Maryland at 1 p.m. (B1G+). Sunday is also the annual Pups on Papé day.