The No. 44 Oregon men’s tennis team defeated both Seattle University and Eastern Washington 7-0 at the Student Tennis Center in Eugene on Saturday.

Oregon (2-0) chalked up their first win of the season Saturday morning against Seattle University (0-1). The Ducks got off to a quick start, and gained the doubles point thanks to 6-2 wins by both the No.1 doubles team of Kevin Farin and Jayson Amos and the No. 3 duo of Daniel Sardu and Cormac Clissold.

Entering singles play, Daan Maasland swiftly gained the first singles point of the match by going 6-0, 6-2 against the Redhawks’ Riley Newman. Simon Stevens wrapped up next, taking down Seattle University’s Ian Clare 6-2, 6-0. Sardu brought home the match for the Ducks, finishing 6-3, 6-3 against John Stormans. The Ducks did not drop a set through the length of the match.

Oregon returned to the courts at 3 p.m. to host Eastern Washington. The Ducks got off to another fast start, easily taking home the victory in doubles. Farin and Amos went 6-0 on court one, and the No. 2 doubles team of Maasland and Stevens brought home the match point with a 6-3 win.

Just as it did in the morning, singles play finished in Oregon’s favor. No. 5 freshman Cormac Clissold had the tightest singles match of the day, but managed to finish off Eastern Washington’s Eduardo Bringhold 7-4, 6-3.

Though the Ducks emerged victorious, there are still plenty of areas that need attention. Most notably, the lack of energy in their play, specifically in doubles. “We need to play doubles with better energy. We won it, but it wasn’t as clean as I would like it to be,” said head coach Nils Schyllander.

“It is very early in the season, so we have to warm up. But we have to play better for next week,” said Sardu. “We have to be more energized, that’s the main thing.”

Up next for the Ducks: Oregon will play host to Loyola Marymount next weekend on Saturday, January 17 at 11 a.m. in the Student Tennis Center.

Add two more accomplishments to Marcus Mariota’s list.

– The Heisman winner was named the Associated Press college football player of the year on Tuesday. Mariota was the landslide winner, receiving 49 of the 54 votes submitted by the AP Top 25 media panel.

– Mariota also made his fourth career appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated on Tuesday. The magazine published four covers highlighting members of each of the four teams participating in the first ever College Football Playoff. The three other players spotlighted by the magazine include Alabama’s Blake Sims, Florida State’s Jameis Winston, and Ohio State’s Cardale Jones.

– Oregon baseball cracked the Top 20 in the first preseason poll, coming in at 15th. The Ducks are the second-ranked team in the Pac-12, following No. 10 UCLA

– Oregon women’s basketball’s Lexi Bando has been named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week for her performances against Fresno State and Santa Clara, the conference announced Monday.

– The Oregon men’s basketball team managed to clinch a 82-78 win over UCSB in overtime on Monday.

– ICYMI: Ifo Ekpre-Olomu’s final goodbye to Oregon fans following a knee injury that has removed him from post-season play.

Follow Sarah Scrivens on Twitter @sarahescrivens

Two years ago, the University of Oregon club Equestrian team was made up of eight members from both the Western and Hunt Seat classes of competition.

This year, the team has grown to 34 total members and has already exhibited dominant success early in the season.

Over the weekend of Nov. 8, 27 members traveled to the first show of the season in Spokane, Wash. Oregon earned reserve high point in both Hunt Seat (often referred to as English) and Western, putting both teams in second place in Zone 8, Region 4. The Western team went up to Corvallis for a show over the weekend of Nov. 15 and not only celebrated sophomore Brittney Mellor’s high point win, but an overall team high point victory.

Last season two members, graduate Allison Larrson and current sophomore Chiara Ciacci, qualified for the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (ISHA) semifinals. Ciacci also had the opportunity to represent Zone 8 Region 4 at Nationals for the Cacchione Cup, a prestigious award honoring the top riders in the nation.

“This program makes you a better rider; I don’t think I’ve ever been as comfortable on a horse as I am now,” said senior Western captain Claire Haines. “ The way we train helps you really get to figure out a horse in a very short amount of time.”

Riders are allowed to watch all of the competing horses warm up, are assigned a horse that has been selected from a blind draw, then given permission to mount their given horse only upon entering the ring.

“It’s a lot of mental stuff, there’s a huge checklist to keep in the back of your mind once you’re on the horse,” said senior team president Ali Levy. “Sometimes when you’re on the unpredictable horses it’s more of survival mode and relying on well-taught natural instincts.

In preparation for shows, each member is required to ride at least once a week. Both teams also schedule two lessons each week with local experienced equestrian trainers, Christy Cruise Leitheiser and Angela White.

“Our coaches have been trainers for a long time and are very talented,” said Levy. “They can see little things that would make us second instead of first. It is a very technical sport, and the slightest inch out of place could cause you not to win.”

Each barn also provides tack and horses for the riders to practice on. This allows members of the team to prepare for the random horses they will be placed on at shows, while simultaneously alleviating some of the financial burden of equestrian competition.

“The horse is one of the most expensive components, and for people that do not have the means to buy a really fancy horse to train with, it is hard to compete with those that do,” Ciacci said. “Training with horses that you don’t have long-term relationships with and randomly selecting the horse (at a show) really levels the playing field for everyone and makes it a challenge.”

With only five seniors on the team, the well-developed younger members will have to take the reigns on the way to the future.

“It’s exciting, because we have such a young team and they’re already winning a lot of the classes they go in,” Ciacci said. “It is going to be amazing to see the progression. We will definitely be one of the most competitive teams in our region at some point.”

Next on the schedule for the Equestrian team is a show they will co-host with Oregon State on Jan. 25 and 26 at Cornerstone Stables in Sherwood, Ore.

Follow Sarah Scrivens on Twitter @sarahescrivens

Both the Oregon men’s and women’s cross country teams emerged victorious at the NCAA West Regional held at the Stanford Golf Course on Friday, marking the first time in 26 years that both teams have finished first at the Regional. The two teams will now automatically advance to the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Indiana on Nov. 22.

The men finished five runners in the top 20, with sophomore Pac-12 champion Edward Cheserek coming in second place at 29:35.0. Oregon’s Erik Jenkins came in third at 29:39.6. The Ducks took it home with 60 points; No. 8 Portland placed second with 71 points, No. 9 Stanford finished with 97 points in third, and No. 17 UCLA rounded out the top four with 104 points.

The Oregon women placed all of their scorers within the top 24. Molly Grabill was the top finisher for the Ducks on the women’s side, crossing the line in 11th place with a time of 20:36.5. Arizona State’s Shelby Houlihan won the individual title in 19:31.6.The women won with 88 points; No. 25 Boise State and No. 10 Stanford tied for the second place slot with 103 points, and No. 15 Washington came in fourth with 131 points.

This was the first time that Oregon has swept both races at the NCAA West Regional meet since 1988. Friday’s meet marked the first 10,000 meter race for three runners on the men’s side, who all three finished within three seconds of each other. Seniors Daniel Winn and Tanguy Pepiot finished in 17th and 18th respectively, and freshman Travis Neuman crossed the line in 20th.

The women were able to win and advance despite resting Waverly Neer, who finished No.2 for Oregon at the Pac-12 Championships, and Lindsay Crevoiserat, who has been one of the top runners for the Ducks this season.

Follow Sarah Scrivens on Twitter @sarahescrivens

– Oregon earned the Pac-12 North division title last Saturday with a 51-27 win over Utah, but it was not without a loss. Tight end Pharaoh Brown suffered a gruesome non-contact knee injury in the fourth quarter of the game and had to be carted off the field. Though an official diagnosis has yet to be released, Brown was admitted to the surgical intensive care unit at the University of Utah hospital on Saturday. Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich also acknowledged after Saturday’s game that Brown was “out for the season.”

– The Ducks moved up to the No. 3 spot in this week’s AP Poll.

– The No. 2 ranked Oregon men’s golf team shot 254, 291 and 274 (33-under) over the weekend to win the Ka’anapali Collegiate Classic in Lahaina, Hawaii. This marked the first time in program history that the team has won four consecutive events to start the season.

– In its second exhibition game of the year, the Oregon men’s basketball team dominated Western Oregon, 104-55. After big changes were made during the off-season (including the addition of plenty of new faces to the roster), there are three main points the Ducks will have to pay attention to on the hardwood this season.

– Sophomore guard Chrishae Rowe was dismissed from the Oregon women’s basketball program on Friday for violating team rules. Rowe was the team’s leading scorer last season.

– Oregon women’s soccer finished up their season with a 2-1 victory at home over Oregon State on Friday.  It also was Senior Day for the Ducks, who honored the accomplishments of nine senior athletes.

– The Oregon women’s club soccer team swept regionals over the weekend to remain undefeated on the season. The team is now headed to nationals.

Follow Sarah Scrivens on Twitter @sarahescrivens

Oregon (7-10-2, 3-7-1) broke a six-game losing streak in their final match of the 2014 season with a 2-1 win at home over Oregon State (0-17-3, 0-11-0).

The Beavers were the first to get on board after Oregon senior defender Riley Smith knocked one into her own goal in the 26th minute.

Oregon gained the equalizer in the 43rd minute to bring the game to 1-1 when senior forward Bri Pugh drilled a ball off of a corner kick into the back of the net.

The Ducks clinched the game in the 83rd minute on a beautiful set piece set up by senior Lilly Archer and headed in by freshman Ashlee Schulz.

Tonight’s match also marked the last game for nine seniors, who were recognized prior to the start of Friday’s game.

“We aren’t playing next week in November, and that was the goal,” said head coach Kat Mertz following the 2-1 win. “But these seniors have really pushed us, and now it is just a matter of the tipping point for us.”

The Ducks have gone 19 seasons without an appearance in postseason play. Oregon finishes the 2014 season with three more wins than last season, including their first road win since 2012.

Follow Sarah Scrivens on Twitter @sarahescrivens

Oregon women’s soccer (6-10-2, 2-7-1) will be returning to Eugene after posting a winless weekend in the Bay Area.

Oregon headed to No. 4 Stanford (16-1-2, 8-1-1) last Thursday and put up a solid performance to drive the game into overtime. The Ducks were able to contain an aggressive Cardinal attack that outshot the Ducks 23-4 in the first 90 minutes. The Cardinal’s Lo’eau LaBonta scored in the 95th minute to give the Cardinal the game-winning goal.

Sunday’s match at Goldman Field against California (13-4-2, 5-3-2) produced a different storyline with the same finish. Oregon’s Caitlyn Wong scored in the 6^th minute to give the Ducks an early lead.

The Golden Bears’ Arielle Ship countered in the 15th minute and tied up the score at 1-1.

Cal chalked up another goal in the 27th minute off of Thelma Einarsdottir to gain the lead that they would never give up. The match wrapped up at 2-1, California. .

Oregon will conclude their season Friday, Nov. 7 at 3 p.m. at home against Oregon State. The match will also be senior day at Papé Field and the Ducks will honor nine seniors from the 2014 squad.

There are certain qualities that a soccer coach looks for in a potential recruit. Someone with a confident touch on the ball, the ability to perform in high-pressure situations, and a demonstrated commitment to the game.

The University of Oregon women’s soccer program acquired these assets when sophomore midfielder Marlo Sweatman transferred last spring. The Ducks also upped their game in a way not visible on a stat sheet.

With Sweatman on the roster, the team has gained an experienced and charismatic leader both on and off the field.

“Last spring we were looking for players not only to bring in value as far as the soccer side of things, but also off the field,” said Oregon head coach Kat Mertz. “She has great vision on the field, and is also just a really great kid. She came in this summer and automatically had all of the players gravitate towards her.”

Sweatman joined the program at Oregon following her freshman year at Florida State. During her rookie season, the Seminoles went 22-2-3 and reached the finals of the 2013 Women’s World Cup. She appeared in six matches for FSU, with a season high of 14 minutes in a match against Auburn.

In high school, the midfielder caught the attention of NCAA Division I recruiters after leading in both assists and goals all four years at Flint Hill High School in Herndon, Virginia. She also was named a four-time MVP, All-ISL first team selection, and a three-time team captain.

Another experience on her resume was representing her mother’s homeland as a captain and starting midfielder on the Jamaican U-20 national team, which helped Sweatman in more ways than one as college approached.

“Playing for the Jamaican national team definitely prepared me for college and playing internationally in the future,” said Sweatman. “It was a time when I learned to be more vocal on the team and show a different kind of leadership.”

With a successful prep career and a stint playing abroad under her belt, Sweatman exited high school with one goal in mind: playing for one of the best teams in the country.

“When I was playing in high school, I sat down with my club coach and the first thing I said was that I wanted to play at the best school that I possibly can,” said Sweatman.

But after a season with a program in which she had a minimal role, she began to look into playing opportunities that would better suit her as a person.

“I had a great experience and learned at lot, but I thought that there was probably a better place out there for me to improve,” Sweatman said.

Her decision to transfer last fall quickly caught the attention of an Oregon coaching staff coming off of a 4-12-3 season and looking to fill a void at midfield.

“We jumped on it right away,” said Mertz. “Coming from Florida State, you know you are going to get a competitive player that is dedicated to soccer. We did our homework and thought she would bring a different savvy.”

The strong interest was mutual. At Oregon, Sweatman could take part in the well-rounded experience she had been looking for.

“What really caught my eye about Oregon was that I felt like I could come in and make a big impact and grow as a person and a soccer player,” Sweatman said.

Fast forward to the 2014 season and she has already left a strong impression on the team.

“Marlo was an unexpected blessing,” said senior forward Bri Pugh. “Everything she says is just hilarious – but she also is a huge sweetheart and cares a lot about people. We all adjusted quickly and automatically put our trust in Marlo just because she has been so nice. We knew she had our back.”

In her first season in Eugene, Sweatman has already earned a starting position and averages over 63 minutes per game.  For her, there seems to be no regrets about her decision.

“It has been the best decision I have ever made,” Sweatman said.

Sweatman’s calm and collected form of leadership has also benefited the Ducks on the pitch.

“Definitely patience,” said senior midfielder Kiyomi Cook on what her new teammate (and roommate) brings to the playing field. “She gives us control in the midfield; she is really good at settling the ball down. When we get frantic, she calms everything down.”

Only a sophomore, Sweatman has proven to be the type of complete package player that Oregon was looking for. And the best part is, is that it’s just her first year.

“When I look back, I want to remember this as the year that changed this program,” said Sweatman. “I hope to be the type of player that not only helps the team improve this year and the year after, but flips Oregon soccer around to become one of the top program schools.”

Follow Sarah Scrivens on Twitter @sarahescrivens

– Interested in watching  Oregon take on Cal at the brand new Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif this weekend? With ticket sales in a lull and plenty of open spots to fill in the 68,500-seat stadium, Groupon is running a deal with tickets priced as low as $39. 

– Coming off a dominant 45-20 victory over Washington last Saturday, the Ducks have reemerged as leaders of the Pac-12. Oregon climbed up three spots to No. 6 in the most recent AP Poll released on Sunday. 

– Oregon cross country standout Edward Cheserek wowed spectators by picking up his sixth consecutive win at pre nationals on Saturday.

– Forced to crutches after suffering a lower leg injury on Sept. 6 against Michigan State, junior offensive tackle Andre Yruretagoyena marked his healing progress by sporting a soft walking boot on the sidelines of the Washington game last weekend.

– The Oregon women’s golf team finished 12th at the Stanford Intercollegiate tournament over the weekend.

– Due to health concerns, Archie Manning (former NFL quarterback and father of Peyton and Eli Manning) has stepped down from the College Football Playoff Committee and resigned from his role in determining the four finalists for the 2014 national championship.

– Oregon women’s soccer fell 1-0 to Washington State in overtime Sunday night, bringing the Ducks to 6-6-2 (Pac-12, 2-3-1) on the season.

Follow Sarah Scrivens on Twitter @sarahescrivens