Season-Opening Road Trip Continues For Oregon Lacrosse

EUGENE, Ore. - The Oregon women's lacrosse team will continue its six-game road trip to open the 2021 season this weekend as the Ducks travel to Milwaukee, Wis., to face Marquette on Friday before heading to Mount Pleasant, Mich., to take on Central Michigan on Sunday. 

The Ducks (0-2) added Friday's game at Marquette after their originally-scheduled contest at No. 3 Notre Dame was canceled due to COVID-19 protocols within the Fighting Irish program. 

Game Details
Matchup: Oregon (0-2) at Marquette (0-2)
Date: Friday, February 26, 2021
Location: Milwaukee, Wis.
Venue: Valley Fields
Start Time: 5:30 p.m. PT
How to Watch: https://gomarquette.com/watch/?Live=165&type=Live
Live Stats: https://gomarquette.com/sidearmstats/wlax/summary

Matchup: Oregon (0-2) at Central Michigan (1-1)
Date: Sunday, February 28, 2021
Location: Mount Pleasant, Mich.
Venue: CMU Lacrosse Complex
Start Time: 8:00 a.m. PT
Live Stats: https://cmuchippewas.com/sidearmstats/wlax/summary

Numbers to Know
3 - UO started 3 true freshmen midfielders in each of the first two games - Haley Cummins, Nakeeya McCardell and Morgan McCarthy.
8 - Hannah Hilcoff (above) has scored multiple goals in 8 of her first 9 career games after finding the net twice in each game last weekend.
13 - Senior Alle Dunbar recorded a career-high 13 saves last Friday vs. SDSU, exceeding her previous high of 12 set in the 2020 finale.
22 - The Ducks' 35-player 2021 roster is made up of 22 underclassmen, featuring 12 freshmen and 10 sophomores.

Great to Be Back
The Ducks took the field against another team for the first time in 348 days last weekend when they opened  up the long-awaited 2021 season, first against San Diego State on Friday and then against UC Davis on Sunday. Although Oregon came up short, 11-9, in a defensive battle with the Aztecs in the opener, head coach Chelsea Hoffmann was encouraged by a number of aspects of her team's play and was just happy to see her team back out there competing. "They were so excited and nervous to play again," said Hoffmann. "We had a lot of fun energy that was pent up for awhile due to COVID. We did some good things, but we aren't satisfied and need to focus on the little things moving (forward)."

Hilcoff Picking Up Right Where She Left Off
Hanna Hilcoff made an immediate impact for the Ducks last season as a freshman, and the Jupiter, Fla., native has picked up where she left off through the first two games of her sophomore season. Hilcoff has scored two goals in each of Oregon's first two games to lead the Ducks with four total, and she also paces the team with seven draw controls. Hilcoff has now scored multiple goals in eight of her first nine games to open her collegiate career. 

Last season, Hannah Hilcoff...
» Was one of 15 players and one of only three freshmen nationally to record at least 20 goals (22) and 40 draw controls (44).
» Led Oregon and ranked second in the Pac-12 in both goals and draw controls. 
» Became the first freshman to lead Oregon in goals since Shannon Williams in 2016.
» Ranked second nationally among freshmen in draw controls while ranking fourth in goals and sixth in points (26).
» Finished with four hat tricks, headlined by a UO single-game record-tying seven-goal performance in the 2020 finale vs. Fresno State.
» Matched the UO single-game record with 10 draw controls on 2/21/20 at No. 10 Denver. 

Freshman Middies Off and Running
The Ducks started three true freshmen - Haley Cummins, Nakeeya McCardell and Morgan McCarthy (below) - in each of the first two games of the season, and the trio has impressed immediately. McCardell has been well-rounded through two games, scoring two goals in the opener vs. SDSU to go along with two ground balls, two caused turnovers and two draw controls before finding the net again vs. UC Davis while adding a caused turnover and a draw control. McCarthy scored a goal and assisted on two others to lead Oregon with three total points against San Diego State, and Cummins has scored in each of the first two games while pulling in three draw controls on Sunday vs. UC Davis. With veterans returning both on defense and on the attack, the Ducks are looking to those three freshmen - among others - to stabilize the middle of the field this season. 

Career Day For Dunbar In Opener
Senior goalkeeper Alle Dunbar enjoyed a strong performance to kick off her final season as a Duck, racking up a career-high 13 saves to give Oregon a chance in the season opener vs. SDSU. Nine of Dunbar's 13 saves came in the first half, and she also led UO with four groundballs. Dunbar exceeded her previous career-high of 12 saves from the 2020 season finale vs. Fresno State. Hanna Hilcoff, Nakeeya McCardell and Lillian Stump all scored two goals apiece to lead Oregon offensively. 

Road Warriors
The Ducks will have to be especially vigilant with following COVID protocols this season as they try to navigate an aggressive 16-game schedule that features 10 road games. Oregon continues its stretch of six straight road games to kick off the season this weekend, with Friday's game at Marquette replacing the Ducks' originally-scheduled game at No. 3 Notre Dame before Sunday's contest at Central Michigan, a team that beat Marquette, 11-10, on Sunday. Oregon will play the first of six home games on March 20 vs. Cal.

Balanced Attack
Balance fueled Oregon's offense through the shortened 2020 season, and the Ducks will look for a similar formula in 2021. UO had four different players score at least 10 goals through seven games last season, led by the duo of Hanna Hilcoff and Shonly Wallace. Hilcoff led the Ducks with 22 goals and Wallace finished with 20 after the pair combined for 12 goals in the final game of the season vs. Fresno State, making them the only duo in the Pac-12 to score at least 20 goals apiece. Lillian Stump added 14 goals to rank third behind Hilcoff and Wallace, and all three Ducks are back to lead the offense in 2021.