Ducks Tripped Up By UCLA

October 2, 2011

LOS ANGELES, Calif.- After not allowing the number-two team in the country to earn a goal throughout most of a match, the University of Oregon (5-5-1, 0-2 Pac-12) conceded a goal to UCLA (9-0-1, 2-0 Pac-12) in the 79^th minute of action to fall, 1-0, at Drake Stadium on Friday night in Pac-12 action.

"Once again we went with a youthful lineup in starting six freshmen and eventually playing eight total," said head coach Tara Erickson. "We made the number two team in the country earn every bit of the game. It was a phenomenal game full of us competing and battling on every possession with them. Abby (Steele), LT (Lauren Thompson) and Shanelle (Simien) had a good afternoon for us on the back line and held up for us. It was also great to get Bri (Pugh) back and competing for us more and to get Brynne (Konkel) valuable minutes in her first match of the season helps us build up for Sunday's match."

The match started off with a good pace and the first shot of the match was not recorded until UCLA's Ally Courtnal had her shot blocked by the Duck defense a little over four minutes into action. The Bruins earned a corner off the possession and Sydney Leroux was able to get a shot off, but it went wide against the Oregon pressure.

Back-to-back fouls by the Ducks gave the ball back to the Bruins, allowing Chelsea Stewart to get her first look at the goal, but she was not successful.

The Oregon offense was able to come down the field and set up off the missed shot, but junior Maddy Mercier's shot went wide. The Ducks got the ball back and got another chance to tally the match's first goal off a shot by freshman Kelsey Foo at the 17:22 mark, but she was denied by UCLA goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland for UO's only SOG of the match.

Both teams spent the remainder of the first half making substitutions for fresh legs and took the scoreless draw into the second half of action.

The Bruins took it to the Duck defense to open up the second stanza with Jenna Richmond taking a shot at 49:48, but Steele picked up the save on the possession.

Coupled with fouls by both squads, the Bruins managed to get 10 second-half shots off against UO's two shots, but none of those shots was bigger than the one that came off the head of Kylie McCarthy at the 79:31 mark.

McCarthy received a long pass down field from the combination of Stewart and Abby Dahlkemper moving towards the Ducks and McCarthy was able to head the ball past Steele to give the Bruins the 1-0 advantage and eventually hold on to secure the victory.

Despite Steele (1-5-1) taking the loss, she had a match-high five saves as Katelyn Rowland was credited with the victory.

UCLA ended the match outshooting Oregon, 17-4 in front of 2, 105 fans, the second largest crowd the Ducks have played in front of this season.

Oregon stays in SoCal to take on USC on Sunday at 1 p.m.