Oregon Women Defeat San Jose State in Season Opener

Oregon was led by sophomore Taylor Lilley’s game-high 19-point performance, knocking down four buckets from behind the arc.

Taylor Lilley led Oregon with 19 points on Saturday. Photo courtesy: goducks.com

EUGENE, Ore. - Oregon started the 2007-08 season off on the right foot with a 67-32 victory over San Jose State on Saturday afternoon at Mac Court.

Led by three players in double figures, Oregon shot 41.5 percent from the floor, while the Ducks’ defense limited San Jose State to just 11 made field goals.

“It was a great atmosphere,” freshman Ellyce Ironmonger said after the season opener at Mac. “We had it a good warm-up, and it was good to play so well and have it mean something.”

Oregon was led by sophomore Taylor Lilley’s game-high 19-point performance, knocking down four buckets from behind the arc.

Also reaching double figures was the freshmen duo of Nicole Canepa and Ironmonger.

Canepa finished her debut with 14 points and five rebounds, while Ironmonger scored 12 with seven boards and a team-leading three blocks.

“We came out with a lot of intensity in the beginning,” Canepa said. “Our defense at the start of the game really helped us get going, and after we got a few stops, everybody was running the floor and looking for the open player.”

The Ducks’ 35-point margin of victory was the team’s largest since a 50-point defeat (80-30) of Saint Francis in the season opener of the 2005-06 season.

“I was really pleased with how we executed what we had prepared for this last week,” head coach Bev Smith said. “From our last exhibition until now, we worked on cleaning things up, executing and getting the ball inside early.”

The game was San Jose State’s season opener as well, and the first for the Spartans’ new head coach Pam DeCosta.

The Spartans were led by Natalie White’s 18 points on a 6-of-11 performance, as San Jose State shot just 19.0 percent from the floor.

At the start of the second half, Oregon’s defense held the Spartans scoreless for nearly eight minutes, until SJSU’s Alisha Hicks sank a free throw with 12:52 remaining.

In the first half, Lilley led the way with 12 points, on 4-of-5 shooting from the floor, including three from long distance.

The Ducks shot 44.8 percent from the floor in the first half and converted on 13-of-17 chances from the free-throw line.

Oregon began the game with an 11-point run, until San Jose State’s Jamie Hall’s put the Spartans on the scoreboard with a jumper at the 16:13 mark.

The Ducks did not commit their foul until over six minutes had ticked away, and didn’t turn the ball over until 10:57 was remaining in the first.
Source: goducks.com

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