Ducks Fly South to Battle Bears
Eugene, Ore. – Oregon's first road trip of the 2022 season begins on Friday against Mercer.
The game will be the Bears' first of the season. The Ducks won their season-opening game 14-11 over George Mason. Oregon will look for a stiffer test from Mercer, which qualified for the 2021 NCAA Tournament after winning the Southern Conference Tournament.
GAME INFO
When: Friday, Feb. 16
Where: Five Star Stadium | Macon, Ga.
Time: 2 p.m. PT
Live Stats: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/statmonitr/?id=399475
SERIES HISTORY
The Ducks and Bears squared off in 2019 with Oregon winning 13-6 in Eugene to secure Chelsea Hoffmann's first win as a head coach. Two current Oregon players saw time in that game: defenders Logan Gierke and Lily Shalz.
OREGON OVERCOMES SLOW START TO BEAT GEORGE MASON
The Ducks battled back from an early 5-2 deficit to knock off George Mason 14-11 on Saturday. Oregon's top two scorers in 2021, Hanna Hilcoff and Lillian Stump, scored five straight goals to put Oregon up 7-5 and both players recorded their 11th career hat trick in the win.
» Goalie Cassidy Eckert held the Patriots scoreless for nearly 20 minutes (7:56, 2nd to 3:59, 3rd) and finished with nine saves
» Oregon's zone defense forced three shot clock violations in the first half to halt George Mason's early momentum
» Nine Ducks scored goals, including Alyssa Wright's first career goal
HILCOFF RETURNS AFTER TORRED START TO CAREER
Hanna Hilcoff made an immediate impact for the Ducks as an underclassman, scoring 50 goals faster than any other player in school history. Hillcoff reached the half-century mark in just 17 games, which was six fewer than the next-fastest Duck (Shannon Williams - 23). She also dominated the draw in both of her first two seasons in Oregon. In 2020, Hilcoff grabbed 44 draws, second-most in the Pac-12, and she followed that performance with 54 draw controls (5th) in 2021.
» In 2021, the only Pac-12 player to rank in the top ten in both goals (35, 7th) and draw controls (54, 5th)
» Scored multiple goals in 16 of 19 career games, including 10 of 12 games in 2021
» As a freshman, tied for the program single-game record with 10 draw controls against Denver (2/21/2020)
» In 2020, was one of three freshman to finish the shortened season with 20 goals and 40 draw controls
SUPER SENIOR STUMP
Oregon got a boost over the summer when attacker Lillian Stump decided to return for one more season. Stump enjoyed a surge in 2021, finishing second on the team in goals (23) and points (33). She was Oregon's top facilitator last season with 10 assists, a career-high. Stump could become the 11th player in school history to score 100 goals with 26 more goals in her final season.
OH CANADA
Oregon boasts three players with Canadian National Team experience in 2022: Shonly Wallace, Cassidy Eckert and Alex Matsuoka. Eckert was recently selected for Canada's 2022 Women's World Cup team. She and Wallace represented the Great White North at the Super Sixes event in October and also teamed up to lead the U-19 team to a silver medal at the 2019.