The women’s lacrosse team dropped their third straight game to the PAC-12’s University of Oregon Sunday afternoon, 16-9.
Sophomore midfielder Caitlin McNaboe scored the first hat trick of her career, with graduate student attacker Kerri Gutenberger scoring two. Five-goal performances by senior and sophomore midfielders Morgan McCarthy and Anna Simmons ultimately kept the game out of reach.
The Red Foxes (0-3) traveled 2,900 miles across the country to Eugene, Oregon, the home of the Oregon Ducks (3-0). After all three goalies saw time last week at Binghamton, head coach Keith Detelj made his decision on a new starter. Freshman Megan Morris earned the nod to start the first game of her short career. Morris had 13 saves on a season-high 29 shots on goal past the Red Fox defense.
The Ducks began the offensive onslaught immediately; McCarthy put away the first goal of the game in 35 seconds. Gutenberger sprinted down the field a minute later and fired her first of the game to even the score.
After two more scores by Oregon, Marist’s junior midfielder Chloe Birckhead nailed her first goal of the season as she wove through multiple defenders. The Ducks held a commanding 6-2 lead behind McCarthy, who added another score as well as an assist.
A switch was flipped to start the second quarter. McNaboe scored her first goal of the season while the Red Foxes dominated the time of possession in the offensive zone.
Nearly 11 minutes passed before Oregon scored again. McCarthy faked out her defender and drilled one past Morris for a first-half hat trick. Senior midfielder Delaney Hayes picked up a yellow card a minute later to put Marist a woman down. The Ducks capitalized, extending the lead to five goals.
A trickling ball batted into the net by senior attacker Maddie Schrader should have been the end to the half, but, with one second remaining, Simmons fired a rocket from distance to complete her own first-half hat-trick. Oregon took a 9-4 lead into the break with momentum on their side.
The third quarter opened with a collision between Marist’s junior defender Sophia Georgopolous and senior attacker Haley Cummins of Oregon which left Georgopolous shaken up. She was helped off the field and did not return for the remainder of the game.
McNaboe scored for her fallen captain, marking her second of the contest. The Ducks clapped back with a score of their own to keep the margin at five from McCarthy, her fourth of the afternoon.
Both teams traded goals to end the quarter. Freshman attacker Greta Govoni had her first of the contest, but Simmons also notched her fourth. Oregon took their largest lead of the day at six into the final 15 minutes of the game.
Once again Marist opened up the quarter on the offensive. McNaboe ripped one right inside the box to capture the first hat-trick of her career. Gutenberger followed that up with her second of the game on a free-position shot. The Ducks’ lead was cut to just four within a minute and a half.
Yet again when Oregon needed a response, McCarthy answered the call. She scored her fifth goal of the game, tying her career high. Just over two minutes later, Cummins put the lead back to six.
Oregon put the game far out of reach in the waning minutes of the fourth, marking the third blowout loss for Marist.
The defense allowed the least amount of goals all season, but the offense could not get into double figures. A 26-55 scoring margin, with a nearly 10-goal average margin of defeat, has plagued the early portion of the campaign.
Detelj and the Red Foxes will have plenty of chances to prove themselves as they return from their Pacific trip. They host three straight home games, starting this Saturday with a date with the Vermont Catamounts.
Facing the Catamounts for the first time in two seasons, they look to end their disappointing three-game losing streak. Game-time is set for 11 a.m.
Edited by Ben Leeds
Graphic by Cara Lacey
Photo by Marist Athletics
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