Ducks Torch Highlanders for Five Second Half Goals

Oregon next hosts Montana Sunday at 11:00 a.m. at Pape’ Field.

Jen Cameron scored her first career goal and made a key defensive stop in Friday night's win. Photo courtesy: goducks.com

EUGENE, Ore. - Jen Cameron kept the game scoreless when Oregon needed it and Danielle Sweeney led a record-setting second-half blitzkrieg as the Ducks routed UC Riverside 5-1 Friday night before 570 fans at Pape’ Field.

Sweeney scored two goals with an assist which were all part of Oregon’s record five second half scores.

It was the first time in school history that the Ducks (3-0-0) had scored five goals in a single half, and the highest goal total in a game since defeating Eastern Washington 5-0 Sept. 30, 2001.

“At halftime, we really got on ourselves because (UC Riverside) came out hard and had us on our heels,” said Sweeney, a sophomore from Pleasanton, Calif. “It was up to us to adjust in the second half.”

The two teams played a rugged first half, with the key play of the period coming in the 40th minute.

UC Riverside’s Jenna Leonti headed a cross that beat Oregon keeper Jessie Chatfield, but junior midfielder Jen Cameron was on the goal line and headed away a would-be Highlander score to keep the game 0-0 heading to halftime.

“That was a turning point in the game for us,” said Oregon coach Tara Erickson. “Because we played with a little uncertainty in the first half and if we would have gone into halftime down 1-0, it’s a completely different second half.”

Sweeney wasted no time in getting the Ducks on the board after halftime. She scored an unassisted goal from 16 yards out on the left side just 2:09 into the second period.

“I thought the defender would look to stop my shot first, so I threw a fake to get open and shot as hard as I could,” said Sweeney.

Then the Ducks struck again just 45 seconds later as Jen Cameron headed in the eventual game-winner on a long pass up the middle from Teresa Bowns. I

t was the first career goal for Cameron, a junior from Tigard, Ore. The 45 seconds between goals was also a school record for the shortest time between two scores.

Oregon padded its lead in the 62nd minute when freshman Jen Stoltenberg blasted in a left-footed goal from 10 yards in front of the net for her first score as a Duck.

“We came out and played Oregon soccer in the second half,” said Erickson. “(The players) put the fire under themselves.”

UC Riverside (2-1-0) cut Oregon’s lead to 3-1 in the 70th minute on a well-executed set piece following an Oregon foul in the left corner.

Natal Ducatenzeiler played a perfectly aimed ball to Ashley Parks, who headed it in for the Highlanders’ lone score of the night.

The Ducks then iced the game with a couple of scores in the final seven minutes.

Sweeney successfully converted her second penalty kick of the season, which was awarded when Allison Newton was dragged down from behind in the Highlanders’ box.

Sweeney then assisted on Newton’s score in the 86th minute, sending a long ball up the left side that Newton ran on to and beat UCR reserve keeper Deanna Borgelt on a difficult shot from the left corner of the penalty box.

The five-point game (2G, 1A) for Sweeney was the second-highest in school history and the first since career goals leader Nicole Garbin did it against Sacramento State in 2003.

“I woke up this morning with the feeling that we were going to have a five-goal game,” said Sweeney. “I didn’t know they were all going to come in the second half, but we’ll take it.”

Oregon next hosts Montana Sunday at 11:00 a.m. at Pape’ Field.

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