Senior day for Oregon lacrosse resulted in a tough triple overtime loss as Colorado edged out the Ducks 10-9 today at Papé Field.

Head coach Jen Beck said after today’s loss that the key will be moving on from today and looking towards the tournament.

“Just trying to take care of the ball. I thought that we were very careless with it (the ball),” Beck said. “I really want to make sure that we keep them loose and not tight. We have a great ride ahead of us with the Denver tournament ahead of us. The team is super fired up and ready to go.”

Beck also credited Colorado’s goalie Paige Soenksen, who finished the game with seven saves.

“She is a very good goalie,” Beck said. “I think we didn’t do a very good job of being poised in the moment when we were actually trying to finish the shots and she stepped up and made great saves.”

Oregon was the first to get on the scoreboard with a quick goal from senior Nikki Puszcz assisted by Olivia Pyne.

Colorado was able to answer back three minutes later when Katie Macleay found the back on the net to tie the score at 1-1.

Pyne then stepped up for the Ducks scoring three straight goals to give Oregon a 4-1 lead.

Beck credited Pyne for having a solid game and stepping up on offense as Colorado focused heavily on guarding Oregon’s Shannon Propst, who is often one of the key play-markers for the Ducks.

“She (Olivia) stepped up,” Beck said. “Olivia just found the seam and recognized that today was her day to shine and I thought she did an excellent job.”

However, the Buffs began to pick up momentum as the first half continued with Amelia Brown scoring, followed by Colorado’s Johnna Fusco tallying three-straight goals to give Colorado a 5-4 lead with three minutes left in the first half.

Pyne once again was able to strike for the Ducks and scored with just 12 seconds left before halftime to tie the score at 5-5.

Oregon struggled in the second half to hold on to possession after the draws and finished the game with a total of 22 turnovers.

The Ducks were scoreless for the first 20 minutes of the second half, while Colorado tallied three more goals to take a 8-5 lead.

“They had momentum traveling up the field while we are more of a passing team, they were able to run it a lot,” said senior goalie Caroline Federighi said. “But I felt on defense we handled it well enough. We were able to have a body the majority of time.”

However, the Ducks would eventually make a comeback sparked by junior Devon Frazer’s back-to-back goals to inch Oregon closer.

Sophomore Carly O’Connell scored the tying goal just under seven minutes left of play.

Both teams were unable to score for the reminder of regulation, as the game then headed into overtime with the score at 8-8.

Fusco scored first in overtime to give the Buffs a 9-8 lead, but then O’Connell found Casey Brogan who scored to tie the game up once again.

However, it was Colorado that came up on top scoring in the sudden death overtime after about five minutes of play as Sarah Lautman shot the ball right in in the corner of the net just past Federighi.

“As always, I felt that I should of had that,” Federighi said. “I think it was tough… you have to look at everything… there were so many aspects, and unfortunately she was able to sneak past me.”

Up next for the Ducks is the MPSF conference tournament in Denver, Colorado later this week.

Federighi noted at the end of the game that she is confident the team can move on and push forward.

“I’m confident we can do it (move on),” Federighi said. “Today was so unlucky with what happened today. We had so many nice opportunities and just couldn’t capitalize and didn’t finish and unfortunately that’s going to go to them, but the tournament is a different ball game. It’s one and done and I don’t want to be done… Our team is going to push it as hard as we can.”

Follow Beth Maiman on Twitter @bethamaiman

In a game for first place in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation conference, the Oregon lacrosse team fell short to top-ranked Denver 11-5 Friday at Papé Field.

This was the Ducks’ first since April 11 when they fell short to Stanford 15-7.

The Ducks got off to a rough start as the Pioneers took an early 3-0 lead due to a hat trick by Rachael McKinnon.

“I give them (Denver) credit,” head coach Jen Beck said. “They came out attacking everything and that’s what we talked about doing, but unfortunately they did it more so than we did.”

For much of the match Denver’s fast and efficient passing caused the Oregon defense to have to be quick on their feet. Ultimately, the Pioneers were able to maintain the momentum for the majority of the game.

“We came out scared and we didn’t ever loosen up,” Beck said. “When we were on fire it was really awesome but unfortunately we couldn’t keep that momentum.”

Beck also said that she didn’t think the defense played as tenaciously as past games and that the offense could of been more aggressive.

Junior Olivia Pyne scored the first goal for Oregon 13 minutes into play.

Senior Shannon Propst picked up Oregon’s second goal of the half.

Kiki Boone of Denver picked up two goals in the first half as the Pioneers had a 6-2 lead at halftime.

McKinnon scored the first goal of the second half to give Denver a five goal lead.

Pyne tallied another goal, followed by senior Nikki Puszcz scoring two goals to help the Ducks inch closer to Denver 8-5.

However, the Pioneers continued to control the draw when it counted and picked up three more goals in the second half and the win in Eugene.

Denver’s goalie Hannah Hook had a season-high of 14 saves.

“I think that there were moments that were really awesome,” Beck said. “I think overall we didn’t execute the plan. I don’t think it was anybody’s offensive or defensive side more than the other. I think everybody needed to really play better all around and unfortunately that’s just what we are left with today and thankfully wake up a new day tomorrow.”

Tomorrow’s game against Colorado marks Oregon’s last game of the season as well as senior day for the squad’s six graduating seniors.

“I think this group of seniors is going to celebrate and be in the moment,” Beck said. “But I also think this group of seniors is going to be pretty ticked about this game on Friday that’s going to be in their gut still.”

First draw against Colorado is set for noon on Sunday.

As Oregon lacrosse player Bella Pyne entered her first year of collegiate lacrosse, she was a little overwhelmed.

Bella was transitioning from playing low defense in high school to handling the ball more often as a midfielder at a higher level of play.

“The game is so much faster in college and I was really frustrated in the fall,” Bella said.

Bella didn’t have to look too far for suggestions on how to push through. Her older sister Olivia, who is currently a junior on the lacrosse team, had some advice for Bella. Not just any advice, but advice that happened to be passed on to Olivia by another pair of sisters  — her former Oregon teammates, Jess and Jana Drummond.

The advice — “Keep running. If you just keep running, you can never go wrong.”

The tip may be working for Bella in her freshman year, as last week she earned conference honors and was awarded MPSF Rookie of the Week for her performance during the team’s road trip to Southern California. Bella tallied five goals over the weekend, while her older sister Olivia scored four.

The Pyne sisters first picked up the sport as kids when they moved to Maryland, a state known as hub for lacrosse and the home to many of the top talent.

The two first started playing together on a recreation team and reunited as teammates once again in high school when Bella made the varsity team her freshman year.

At South River High School in Edgewater, Md., the Pyne sisters helped the Seahawks to its first state championship in school history.

“It was really cool coming in as a freshman and winning the state title,” Bella said. ”It was really awesome to say that two sisters were on that team.”

Oregon first became a school on Olivia’s radar due to current Oregon assistant coach Jen Derby, who also attended South River and played for the same high school coach as the Pynes. Initially, Olivia was reluctant to go to school on the West Coast. In fact, her original flight to Eugene got cancelled and she wasn’t even planning to visit. Her parents said she should give it a shot, so she did.

Olivia committed to Oregon just two days after her visit.

“I love the environment and I love the team,” Olivia said. “I love how there are a bunch of girls from the east coast that you don’t even feel like you are that far from home.”

For Bella, she said that Olivia was not a factor in her decision to attend Oregon, but instead her love for the school.

“I didn’t originally want to go to school with my sister since we played together my whole life. I was interested in starting something new for myself,” Bella said.

When the recruiting process became stressful for Bella, she decided to visit Oregon and her sister. Just like Olivia, it took Bella only two days to officially become a Duck.

Although they are sisters, they pride themselves on having separate lives and being independent.

“Since I have been here, I don’t really rely on my sister at all,” Bella said. “I actually only really see her at practice and occasionally at the Jaqua Center, which is really nice because I was able to create my own path.”

The sisters say they like that they don’t have to rely on each other, but Bella added that she does feel comfort in knowing she can go over to Olivia’s place without having to ask. The two also occasionally have dinner together.

“It was really important to me that she (Bella) created her own college experience,” said Olivia.

The sisters also both admitted there is no sibling rivalry between them.

“Growing up I definitely looked up to her,” Bella said. “I always wanted to play well against my sister, but I wasn’t looking to beat her, just to get better.”

Olivia agreed that she doesn’t feel competitive with  her sister.

“At practice the other day somebody asked us ‘Oh, do you guys mark up on each other on purpose’ and I was like ‘No, I don’t think, ‘Oh that’s my sister I am going to take it to her,’” Olivia said. “Sometimes I even forget we are on the same team … It’s nothing out of the ordinary for us.”

Tenth year head coach Jen Beck echoed similar thoughts.

“It’s truly just like two teammates that play on the same team and just happen to be sisters,” said Beck.

Beck also added that the two are very different, but share some attributes.

“Quite honestly, they are very different,” said Beck. “But, they are similar in ways. They are both hard working, very determined and coachable.”

Both Pyne sisters have done a solid job for the Ducks so far this season, with the duo combining for 18 goals and seven assists on the season.

The sisters joining as teammates in college has been a natural transition, but the pair did share a sibling moment in the Ducks’ 19-7 win against St. Mary’s this month.

Olivia found Bella in front of the net and dished her the ball for a goal. The sisters joked that they have been looking forward to a sister to sister goal, but when it happened Bella laughed that she initially didn’t notice that the pass was from her big sis.

“It was really exciting,” Olivia said. “Pyne to Pyne — it’s cool.”

Follow Beth Maiman on Twitter @bethamaiman

After clinching a spot in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championship tournament with their win over USC 10-8, the Oregon women’s lacrosse team picked up another win in SoCal this weekend, defeating San Diego State 13-6.

In addition to the win, head coach Jen Beck earned her 100th career win as the head coach.

“I don’t think it’s any different than any other win,” Beck told GoDucks.com. “It’s another conference win, but to go 2-0 on the road is really nice. It’s been an honor to be the only coach here at Oregon and to have coached the women that have come through here. It’s a testament to their hard work and to all the coaches.”

The Ducks got off to head start against the Aztecs scoring four straight goals, taking the early lead.

Casey Brogan was first to score for Oregon, followed by goals from Nikki Puszcz, Olivia Pyne and Devon Frazer.

San Diego State was then able to answer back by scoring three straight goals, giving Oregon just a one goal lead with about 14 minutes left in the first half.

Shannon Propst then scored for Oregon with just over 10 minutes left, but Meris Walsh of San Diego State brought Oregon’s lead to just one goal with about five minutes left in the first half.

However, with just under a minute left in the half, Frazer found the back of the net once again to give the Ducks a 6-4 lead at halftime.

The Ducks were able to gain a lead due to the effort of freshman Bella Pyne who scored three straight goals to open up the second half.

The Aztecs answered back with two back-to-back goals from Walsh, but Oregon scored four goals before the time was up to earn their third straight victory.

Leading the Ducks in scoring was Bella Pyne with four goals, while her older sister Olivia tallied three goals.

Goalie Caroline Federighi had six saves and the Ducks outshoot San Diego State 20-14.

Up next for the Ducks is a big game against Denver, who boasts an undefeated record in conference. Oregon will take on Denver 5 p.m. on Friday at Papé Field.

Follow Beth Maiman on Twitter @bethamaiman

-Third baseman Mitchell Tolman was named Pac-12 player of the week today. This was the Lake Forest, Calif. sophomore’s first time receiving the award. Tolman hit .600 as the Oregon baseball team won five times last week. Tolman was 9-for-15 on the week with six RBIs and five runs. He had a hit in all five games this week in the Ducks’ two wins over Portland. He had mulitple hits four times as the Ducks swept UC Riverside over the weekend.

– In their third week of spring practice, quarterback Marcus Mariota spoke to media members today about how the backup quarterbacks are doing and mentioned Bralon Addison’s injury. The Emerald also caught up with lineman Andre Yruretagoyena, who is entering his redshirt junior season.

– Top-ranked Oregon softball was successful over rival Oregon State this weekend, picking up two wins. The Ducks will face the Beavers once again today at 3 p.m. in Corvallis, Ore.

– The Oregon Acrobatics and Tumbling team had a grueling road trip this season. Read how the team dealt with traveling here.

– The inaugural season of sand volleyball for Oregon has come to a close and the Ducks ended on a high note going 2-1 at The Courts of Eastmoreland in Portland. Oregon took home wins against Washington and Portland State, but fell to Boise State 3-2.

This weekend marked huge games for the Oregon women’s lacrosse team as they faced off against two tough conference opponents: Stanford and UC Davis. After finishing 3-5 in conference last season and falling short in making the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation tournament, the Oregon women’s lacrosse team has shown strength in conference place so far this season.

Oregon headed into Friday’s matchup against Stanford undefeated in conference and sitting in third place in MPSF standings.

However, the 12th-ranked Cardinal was too much for the Ducks to handle, as Stanford defeated the Ducks 15-7. The loss also caused Oregon to fall to fourth place in the MPSF standings.

“We definitely had a more potent offensive game plan that we were not able to execute,” head coach Jen Beck said after the loss. “I think we just got caught up in not taking care of the things that we could control and we just need to fix those, change the confidence level and make sure we are executing on a different level.”

On Sunday, Beck was pleased with the team’s poise against an aggressive Davis team, as the Ducks earned their fourth conference win with an 8-4 win.

Heading into the season, Beck said she was impressed with the team’s play during fall and saw potential in many players to step up.

Oregon’s class of seniors is a talented group led by goalie Caroline Federighi, Nikki Puszcz and Oregon’s all-time leader in points and assists Shannon Propst.

Federighi has been solid with 71 saves on the season. The senior from Pleasanton, Calif., also received a conference honor for Defensive Player of the Week after her performance in the Bay Area against California and St. Mary’s.

Beck praised Federighi after Stanford’s game, calling her a fantastic goalie. Beck echoed that in a game like Stanford — where there are a lot of goals — she doesn’t want Federighi to get down on herself.

Propst leads the team in assists this season with 34 and is the second leading goal scorer with 24, behind senior Puszcz with 31. Beck has previously referred to Propst as selfless and is often the key person to help the team connect.

“When I am on the field (my record) is something that I never think about, it’s always for the team and trying to get the win,” Propst said. “It’s really my team that helps me get those assists, if they weren’t finishing the shots I wouldn’t be getting the points.”

For Oregon to be successful in the rest of conference play they we need to stay consistent and strong.

“I think we need to watch film again, watch our past couple of games,” Puszcz said. “Focusing on fixing our issues, it starts with the little things, the details, stick work, all that stuff. We don’t want to think too far ahead because it is really just one game at a time at this point.”

Oregon’s trip to Southern California will be a key weekend for the Ducks when the team faces conference opponents USC and San Diego State. If the Ducks can manage a win against both teams, that will help their placement in MPSF standings. Oregon faces the Trojans on Friday in Los Angeles, Calif.

Follow Beth Maiman on Twitter @bethamaiman

The Oregon lacrosse team wore pink in honor of breast cancer awareness and for player Shannon Propst’s aunt who was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this winter, as the Oregon Ducks beat the UC Davis Aggies 8-4 today at Papé Field.

“When you have someone as invested in the program and as loving as all family, it was a no brainer for us, ” said head coach Jen Beck about the team wearing pink. “We are a very family oriented group. That was the foucs to keep us united, and to make sure we are helping other people.”

Oregon got off to a strong start with sophomore Carly O’Connell’s goal within the first two minutes of play. Shortly after, Casey Brogan found the back of the net with an assist from senior Nikki Puszcz.

UC Davis first got on the board after 10 minutes of play with a goal from Elizabeth Landry.

However, the Ducks were able to respond with goals from Bella Pyne and Sami Kiser.

Carly Voris scored for the Aggies with just about 10 minutes left in the half, but Oregon was able to score three straight goals before the half ended. Senior Sami Kiser had a last-second goal in the second half to give the Ducks a 7-2 win heading into the locker room.

Oregon stuck with the aggressive UC Davis team. The Aggies had 28 fouls compared to Oregon’s 19.

“I think we were definitely tested with a very aggressive Davis team,” head coach Jen Beck said. “I was really impressed how poised they were with the aggressive style of play, but I also don’t think they backed down.”

Beck said she was also impressed with her team’s sportsmanship and efficiency throughout the match.

“We made sure we were coming up with more 50/50 balls and coming up with more draws,” Beck said.

Beck said she still is looking for more flow from the offense. Beck believed that it happened more in the first half compared to the second.

O’Connell netted another goal for the Ducks to start out the second half. UC Davis was able to come up with two more goals, but it wasn’t enough to fend off the Ducks who earned their fourth conference win.

“I thought we did really well,” Pusczc said. “They were a very tough and physical team and I thought we did a great job not retaliating to any of the fouls and keeping our heads up. It was a good game.”

Oregon outshot the Aggies 26-14 and goalie Caroline Federighi had five saves for the Ducks.

Up next, Oregon travels to Southern California to face USC on Friday. This will mark the first time the team travels to Los Angeles to face the Trojans. Beck said she expects USC to be fired up for the game after their two losses this weekend to Denver and Colorado. She believes that it’s vital for Oregon to stay focused.

“At this point I want to focus on recovery and getting back, but gearing up really hard for Tuesday morning,” Beck said. “I just want to make sure we get a good 60 minutes together.”

Follow Beth Maiman on Twitter @bethamaiman

On a sunny but windy day at Papé Field, No. 12 Stanford handed Oregon its first conference loss of the season, as the Ducks fell to the Cardinal 15-7.

Although the Ducks didn’t come up with a win today, they were lead by a strong performance from senior goalie Caroline Federighi.

“I think that she (Federighi) is playing fantastic,” head coach Jen Beck said. “I wish the play in front of her was a little bit sharper so she could get even more saves. I just think the world of her and think she is a fantastic goalie.”

Beck said she hates that Federighi had so many goals against her in a game like today’s because she doesn’t want the senior to get down on herself.

“I know she wishes she would have gotten a couple more (saves), but she had some really great saves,” Beck said.

Stanford came out strong against the Ducks with quick and efficient passing, causing Oregon to stay focused and fast on defense. Stanford was able to control much of the possession due to its success on the draw. The Cardinal won seven draws compared to Oregon’s two in the first half.

Stanford was first to score with a goal from Lucy Dikeou.

About six minutes later Oregon’s all-time leader in points and assists, senior Shannon Propst, got the Ducks on the board.

Stanford quickly responded with another goal, but Propst found Kiser cutting to the net for the Ducks’ second goal, tying up the score.

Stanford then scored four goals in a row to take a 6-2 lead at halftime.

The Cardinal was able to continue the momentum in the second half.

Dikeou again started the scoring for Stanford. She tacked on the first goal of the half just nine seconds after the second half opening draw.

Junior Casey Brogan then found the back of the net for Oregon just over the 23-minute mark.

Stanford then scored three straight, bringing the score to 10-3.

Oregon found some offensive momentum in the second half with goals from sophomore Carly O’Connell and freshman Rachel Steinberg, but it wasn’t enough to hold off Stanford.

“We definitely had a more potent offensive game plan that we were not able to execute,” Beck said. “I think we just got caught up in not taking care of the things that we could control and we just need to fix those, change the confidence level and make sure we are executing on a different level.”

Although it was windy today Beck said she thinks that the wind is never really a factor, but thought the sun was a factor.

Up next for Oregon is another conference match against UC Davis. The Ducks will face the Aggies Sunday at 1 p.m. at Papé Field.

“I think Davis is going to come in here super fired up. They are going to be ready to go. They have been preparing,” Beck said. “We need to quickly turn and focus off this game. We will start with film, get the preparation going. Again, take care of the things we an control. A lot of the stuff that happened today that happened against us was in our control, so we need to fix those things.”

With news about wide receiver Bralon Addison’s injury, wide receiver Keanon Lowe took questions from many media members today after practice. The Oregon native who will be playing his last season with Ducks this fall talked about his hopes for spring practice and Addison’s injury. Lowe and Addison both shared time as kickoff returners last season, and Lowe finished last year with 22 receptions for 244 yards.

On his performance so far this spring?

“I feel like I have been able to get a little bit better every single day. Every day we have practice and weight room and that’s really what spring ball is all about for me. I just want to continue to compete and continue to get better, and I feel like I can get a lot better by the end of spring ball.”

On specific things he wants to improve on? 

“Specifically, not really because you can get better in every aspect whether it is catching the ball or route running or playing faster and getting in shape. Just everything I hope to improve on.”

About his leadership role this season.

“Yeah, I guess I have. Last year I feel like I stepped in as a leader, so I have just continued to build off of that. I have continued to be vocal and show good work habits.”

About what he said to Bralon Addison about his injury.

“That was just between me and him, but obviously Bralon is a great player and he’s gone through this and this is an athlete’s worst nightmare but he’s the type of guy that will work harder than anyone to get back.”

On his absence affecting the wide receivers. 

“He’s still there. He is one of the smartest football guys I know. He is still in the meeting room everyday. He coaches up in between the plays. His absence on the field will definitely be missed, but that is the beauty of football – the next guy just has to step up.”

On basketball player Johnathan Loyd joining the football roster.

“It’s awesome. He has a big learning curve. He hasn’t played football in four years, so definitely been there to help him. He’s a good friend of mine, so I’m excited to have him as a teammate now… I think he has as good of a chance of anyone in that room.”

Follow Beth Maiman on Twitter @bethamaiman

Oregon lacrosse cruised to a 3-0 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation record yesterday with a 19-7 victory over St. Mary’s in Moraga, Calif.

On Friday, the Ducks earned their second conference win defeating California 16-7.

Oregon had nine different players contribute to the scoring on Sunday, with four players earning hat tricks.

The Ducks had a 5-0 run against the Gaels to start off the match, with senior Nikki Puszcz scoring two quick goals in the first two minutes.

The Towson, Md., native leads the team in goals so far this season with 31.

With about 21 minutes left in the first half, St. Mary’s first go on the board with a goal from Krista Morgan. However, the Ducks responded by scoring four straight goals.

The Gaels would tally two more goals, but Oregon continued to score as well and headed to the locker room at halftime with a 14-4 lead.

Oregon continued to dominate in the second half and picked up the win to bring their total record to 7-4.

Goalie Jenna Morris saw action yesterday, splitting time with starting goalie Caroline Federighi.

The Ducks will return to Eugene, Ore., this weekend to face two conference opponents. Oregon will first face Stanford on Friday at 5 p.m. On Sunday, UC Davis will visit Papé Field to take on the Ducks. That match is set for 1 p.m.

Follow Beth Maiman on Twitter @bethamaiman