Ducks Drop Heartbreaker at Home to Beavers

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EUGENE, Ore. - Oregon State forward Chelsea Buckland’s goal in the 86th minute was the difference in a 3-2 win over the University of Oregon soccer team Friday night in a Civil War clash at Pape’ Field in Eugene.

The contest was tied at two-goals apiece with fewer than five minutes to play when Oregon State pushed into its offensive third. OSU defender Ashley Folsom played a ball to Buckland, who sent a header that ricocheted of the left post and into the goal by UO goalkeeper Lindsay Parlee.

OSU improved to 9-1-1 overall with the win, while the Ducks dropped to 4-6-2 from the result. A crowd of 1,280 - the fourth-most of any home match in UO soccer history - watched the game which was the Pac-10 Conference opener for both schools.

“Both halves were mirrors of each other,” head coach Tara Erickson said. “We came out initially okay in the first half, but emotionally we let off a little bit toward the end of it. Same thing in the second half, came off firing well, then emotionally got a little bit overwhelmed.”

The match was evenly played by both sides, with OSU holding a slim advantage in shots (10-9) and corner kicks (5-4). The Beavers were whistled for 11 fouls to UO’s four.

Only one of the match’s five scores came in the first half, with it played scoreless for the first 35 minutes.

The first goal came in the 36th minute when OSU forward Jenna Richardson found Buckland for her fifth goal of the season, a score from just inside the top of the 18-yard box.

The Beavers took that 1-0 lead into halftime, but just 33 seconds into the second half the Ducks equalized the match on a goal by senior forward Jen Stoltenberg.

That Oregon score began when sophomore forward Kelsey Hones dispossessed an OSU player and played a ball in behind the OSU defense to Stoltenberg, who pushed down the field and eventually beat goalkeeper Colleen Boyd for the score. The goal was Stoltenberg’s ninth of the season and 30th of her career.

“Right out of halftime we fired them up a little bit,” Erickson said. “It was a good through-ball from Kelsey and good composure by Stolt – with three OSU players running at her – to finish that.”

Senior midfielder Mercedes Walters gave the Ducks a one-goal lead in the 53rd minute on a shot from 16-yards out. Fellow senior Kirstie Kuhns played a ball to freshman defender Achijah Berry who directly assisted on the Walters’ goal.

“Achijah overlapped Kuhns to get forward, then served into the box and found Mercedes’ foot,” Erickson said in describing the score. “Mercedes did a great job of putting it in the corner past the keeper.”

The Ducks held a 2-1 edge late in the second half before OSU’s Ashley Seal scored her first goal of the season from 18-yards out on the left side of the box. That equalizing score came in the 75th minute after a build-up started by forward Jenna Richardson and midfielder Melinda Ingalls.

“We played to not lose the game at that point, defensive minded,” Erickson said of letting in the equalizer.

Then Buckland scored her second goal of the contest, and sixth of the season, the game-winning score assisted by Richardson which gave OSU the win.

Parlee had two saves and three goals allowed at goalkeeper, one of eight Ducks to play the full 90 minutes.

“It was unfortunate that Parlee gave up three goals because she played well,” Erickson added. “She was active in goal today, dealing with through balls and she definitely held her own in goal.”

Stoltenberg led the Ducks with four shots, three of which were on frame. Five other UO players recorded one shot in the match, with sophomore midfielder Scout Libke and Walters recording a shot on goal apiece.

OSU was led offensively by Buckland who tallied a match-high five shots, three on goal. Boyd had three saves and two goals allowed while playing all 90 minutes at goalkeeper.

Oregon (4-6-2, 0-1-0) will return to action next week with home matches against UCLA and USC. Match time against the Bruins on Friday, Oct. 15 is scheduled for 7 p.m., while the Sunday, Oct. 17 contest against the Trojans is slated for 1 p.m.

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