EUGENE, Ore. – Oregon scored the first three goals in the Sunday afternoon contest, but a crucial timeout in the first quarter by Penn State women’s lacrosse head coach Missy Doherty flipped the script, as the Nittany Lions went on to outscore the Ducks by 12 and secure the team’s first Big Ten win of the season, 19-10. With the win, Penn State improves to 3-7, (1-2 Big Ten) while Oregon falls to 5-5 (0-3 Big Ten).
Brooke Hoss led the scoring for the Nittany Lions, putting away a career-high five goals in the contest. Kelly MacKinney matched her point tally with a goal and four assists.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Quarter 1 – Penn State 2, Oregon 4
After winning the opening draw, the Ducks wasted no time getting on the boards with their first goal of the afternoon coming just 37 seconds into the game on a free-position attempt. Oregon extended its lead out to three before the Nittany Lions found their first of the day. Erika Ho tallied her 24th goal of the season after a 6:12 drought for PSU.
Lauren Saltz put away a free-position goal just over a minute later to bring the scoring within one but score by Oregon with 20 seconds remaining in the quarter ensure the Ducks kept their lead.
Quarter 2 – Penn State 7, Oregon 5
The Nittany Lions flipped the script in the second quarter, winning the opening draw and scoring less than a minute into the quarter. 53 seconds later, Brooke Hoss net her first of the day on a behind-the-back finish through contact on a feed from Kelly MacKinney, tying the game at four.
The Nittany Lion’s next offensive possession came with a two-man advantage after consecutive green cards on Oregon sent two players to the box. Despite being down two players, the Ducks managed to force a turnover and successfully clear the zone after a Penn State green card. The Blue and White’s card expired second, but a quick caused turnover and free position attempt for the team put Elise Smigiel on the eight-meter. The attacker buried her chance to give Penn State its first lead of the afternoon despite being down a player.
Penn State used the next three minutes of game action to boost its lead to three before Oregon tallied its first and only goal of the quarter with 3:46 left to cut the Nittany Lion lead to two before halftime.
Quarter 3 – Penn State 15, Oregon 7
Penn State and Oregon traded pairs of goals through the first ten minutes of action, but Penn State buried six unanswered goals to close out the third quarter with an eight-goal lead.
Quarter 4 – Penn State 19, Oregon 10
PSU pushed its lead out to nine three times, but Oregon had two answers to keep the clock from running.
With 1:04 to go, Smigiel finally pushed the Blue and White out to a 10-goal advantage, and with five seconds left, Oregon put away one last tally to keep the final within single-digits.
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions face one more road test in the cap to this three-game road stand. Penn State Takes off to Ann Arbor next weekend to face off against Michigan at U-M Lacrosse Stadium. First draw is set for 3 p.m. on the Big Ten Network in Ann Arbor, Michigan.