Women's Soccer: Oregon Stuns Seattle, 2-1

Junior Jen Cameron led Oregon with three shot attempts.

Darcie Gardner tied the game versus Seattle in the 50th minute. Photo: goducks.com

EUGENE, Ore. - Sophomore Theresa Bowns blasted home the game-winner in the 75th minute as Oregon overcame an early mistake to defeat the Seattle Sounders 2-1 in the soccer team’s spring exhibition finale Saturday at Pape’ Field.

Just :37 into the contest, Seattle’s Erica Swanson crossed the ball in on the Oregon net and goalkeeper Nicole Garbin misplayed the pass, deflecting the ball through her legs and into the Ducks’ goal for a 1-0 Sounders lead.

Seattle pushed the action in the opening period when it outshot Oregon 9-2, but neither team registered a goal. Senior defender Dylann Tharp helped keep it a 1-0 game by clearing a point-blank Sounders’ attempt off the goal line midway through the first half.

“Our offense did well,” said Oregon head coach Tara Erickson. “We were a little timid in the first half, but in the second half we came to life. They (Seattle) were able to get a lot of shots off, but we kept them from getting too many good shots.”

The Ducks came out as the more aggressive team after halftime and were rewarded immediately when junior Darcie Gardner’s hard cross from the right corner deflected off the foot of a Seattle defender and in to the goal to tie the game at 1-1 in the 50th minute. Sophomore Dani Oster got the assist on Gardner’s first goal of the spring.

“It was intended to be a cross,” said Gardner, from Bellingham, Wash. “I just got a great ball from Oster down the line, drove it back, and it was heading for the far post, but a defender deflected it and it went in.”

Both teams had opportunities the next 25 minutes before Bowns picked up a loose ball just outside the Seattle box and drilled a left-footed rocket for the game-winner into the right corner of the goal from 20 yards out.

“I don’t really remember it,” said Bowns, from Redmond, Wash. “I was just in the right place when the ball came to me and saw I had an opening so I just tried to keep my head down and hit a good, hard shot.”

Bowns and Gardner helped Oregon overcome the early goal allowed by Garbin, but then the striker-turned-temporary netminder redeemed herself as well.

In a wild exchange in the 80th minute, former Duck Chalise Baysa (1998-2001) hit one shot off the crossbar and chipped another from close range that Garbin had to punch away from danger and protect Oregon’s lead.

Baysa led the Sounders, a semi-professional team comprised of former collegiate stars that advanced to the W-USA semifinals last season, with five shots, while Lyndsay Peterson, a standout at Tennessee, attempted four.

Garbin, who finished her career last fall as Oregon’s all-time leader in goals (34), assists (15) and points (83), filled in as an emergency goalkeeper for much of the spring with starter Jessie Chatfield out with a broken left wrist and reserve goalkeeper Emily Zaler sidelined with a dislocated knee cap.

The Wailuku, Hawaii, native made three saves on Saturday.

“It’s the biggest sin for a goalkeeper to let a goal go through their legs,” said Garbin. “Luckily my team pulled it out for me, and for themselves. It was a little nerve-wracking at the start, but it was fun.”

For the game, Seattle outshot Oregon 17-10, and the veteran Sounders got the Ducks to commit 17 fouls, while only being whistled nine times.

Junior Jen Cameron led Oregon with three shot attempts, while Bowns and Adriana Montes each attempted two.

“This has been by far my best spring as a head coach,” said Erickson. “We had lots of motivation, with a bit of a chip on our shoulders still from last fall, and we played lots of challenging teams. We were able to learn so much. It has just been a great overall spring.”

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