LAX PREVIEW: Ducks open season against Youngstown State

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By Ty Goss

Eugene, Ore. — The Oregon Ducks look to open their 2024 season against the Youngstown State Penguins at Papé Field this Friday at 5 p.m. Coaching her first game for the Ducks, head coach Jessica Drummond is looking to start her Oregon coaching career off with a win. An Oregon alum who played from 2009-2012, Drummond has spent her past seven years at the University of Vermont as an assistant coach, where she helped Vermont secure its first American East tournament championship in program history.

The Oregon Ducks

The Ducks are led by superstar senior Morgan McCarthy, who occupies the midfield as the premier attacking threat for Oregon. Leading the team in goals scored last year with 37 on a .440 shooting percentage, McCarthy is the veteran leader that is key to Oregon’s game plan. In addition to her scoring prowess, she led Oregon in draw controls last year with 44 and currently ranks sixth in program history for draw controls with 132 in her career. Filling in for Gabby Cleveland’s departure this offseason, expect to see more of Riley Taylor. Last year, she recorded 15 goals in only five games started, so with a path into a starting spot, Taylor will be on breakout watch coming into this season. The offense will likely play through Lauren Rismani, the team’s best playmaker who led the team in assists with 23 last season. On defense, the Ducks will be anchored by captains Lexie Likins, Alex Matsuoka and Sydnie Soto. Likins, a graduate senior, is the most experienced member on the team and will be a key piece in the locker room as the Ducks enter the season with a new head coach. In goal, it is likely that junior Paige Crowther, who recorded a .414 save percentage, will get the start over Cassidy Eckert. Playing in 12 games last year, Crowther showed major improvement from her freshman campaign where she posted a .364 save percentage. The promise in Crowther’s talent is apparent and her growth over seasons hopefully points to another breakout year this season.

The Youngstown State Penguins

Like Oregon, Youngstown State will be trotting out a new head coach of their own, Rob Harris. In his previous time at Division II school Davenport, Harris led his team to their program’s first NCAA top-25 ranking. Going 6-12 last year, the Penguins are looking to play the upset role as they travel to Papé Field. The team is led by junior Molly Sheridan, a talented two-way player who excels at disrupting the midfield, evidenced by her 18 forced turnovers and 19 ground balls recorded last year. For the Penguins’ attack, the two names to watch are Ally Garrett and Ava Kreutzer. Garrett is a returning sophomore who recorded 22 goals in the previous season, and Kreutzer is an incoming freshman who was named to the 2023 US Lacrosse All-American list. With an intriguing blend of an old guard and touted freshman on the roster, along with a new head coach, it will be interesting to see how this Youngstown State team gels in their challenging road matchup against the Oregon Ducks.

Keys to Victory

  • Convert free-position shots at an efficient rate
  • Limit opposing free-position shots
  • Control the midfield to disrupt Youngstown State’s attacking flow
  • Don’t let Garrett or Kreutzer get a clean shot on goal

Prediction

14-11, Ducks

Youngstown State has the talent on offense to harass the Oregon defense and keep it competitive, but the Ducks’ talent in the midfield will allow them to control the flow of play and ultimately emerge victorious.