Women’s Soccer: Ducks Take Unbeaten Streak to Bay Area

With a 10-5-1 record and only four games remaining, the Ducks have guaranteed themselves the first winning regular season in school history.

Photo: goducks.com

EUGENE - With the final two weeks of the regular season in sight, Oregon heads to the Bay Area as one of only two unbeaten teams in Pac-10 play.

The Ducks take on California Friday at 3:00 PM. Then it’s No. 17 Stanford on the Farm Sunday at 1:00 PM.

DUCKS SET TWO WINS RECORDS:

By defeating Oregon State 2-1 in overtime last Friday, the Ducks set school single-season records for wins (10) and Pac-10 wins (4). Oregon surpassed its previous mark of nine wins overall (2003, 2005) and three Pac-10 wins (1998, 1999, 2003) in beating the Beavers.

OREGON’S UNBEATEN STREAK AT 5 GAMES:

The Ducks are off to their best Pac-10 start in school history with a 4-0-1 mark. Oregon has already assured itself of at least a .500 conference record for the first time ever.

GARBIN ON VERGE OF RE-BREAKING SEASON GOALS, GWG, POINTS AND SHOTS RECORDS:

Senior forward Nicole Garbin comes into the California game with 69 shots so far in 2006 and needs just two more to break the UO season record of 70, set by Beth Bowler in 2001 and tied by Garbin in 2003. She also has nine goals -- one back of the school record (10) she set last year. Her seven game-winning goals ties the season record she set last season. And with 19 points (9G, 1A), she’s only three back of the school record 22 (7G, 8A) she set in 2003.

GARBIN NABS UO CAREER POINTS RECORD:

With a pair of goals last Oct. 6th versus No. 24 Arizona, Nicole Garbin became Oregon’s all-time leader in points, passing Chalise Baysa who accumulated 69 points (31G, 7A) from 1998-2001. The sixth-year senior now shows 77 points on 31 goals and 15 assists. Now the owner of 16 school records, Garbin also now leads the Pac-10 in shots (69) and game-winning goals (7).

GAME BREAKER:

Since her career began in 2001, the Ducks are 36-32-4 when Nicole Garbin takes the field, and 5-28-5 when she has been injured or missed games due to a red card.

DEFENSE ON RECORD PACE AGAIN:

Oregon’s defense notched its seventh shutout of 2006 in the 0-0 tie with Washington State on Oct. 15th to tie the school single-season record set last season. The Duck D has surrendered just 14 goals this season for a 0.85 goals against average, well ahead of pace to break the school records for fewest goals allowed (27 in 1999) and lowest goals against average (1.36 in 1999).

The Ducks have also posted back-to-back shutouts twice in 2006. Freshman Emily Zaler notched three of those shutouts (Gonzaga, Eastern Washington, Idaho). Then Jessie Chatfield, back from a broken hand suffered Sept. 8th versus New Hampshire, shut out Portland State 1-0 in double-overtime on Sept. 29th. It marked the fifth time in school history that the Ducks have posted back-to-back shutouts. Four of those five times have come under coach Tara Erickson in the last two seasons.

ROAD WARRIORS:

Oregon is 7-3 this season in games played away from Eugene -- and 5-3 in true road games. Oregon’s five road wins broke the previous season mark of four set in 2003 and matched last season.

THE BUZZ:

Oregon’s 4-0-1 start to Pac-10 play has helped the Ducks earn a regional ranking by Soccer Buzz for just the second time in school history. Oregon is now 13th in the West region. The Ducks were last ranked regionally in 1998.

ABOUT THE BAY AREA:

Oregon is 1-8 all time versus California and has never defeated Stanford in nine previous meetings. The Ducks’ lone victory against the Golden Bears came in 2003, a 2-0 win in Eugene. Last season, Oregon lost to California 5-0 and Stanford 2-0.

CHATFIELD TIES CAREER SHUTOUTS MARK:

Just 29 games into her Oregon career, sophomore goalkeeper Jessie Chatfield tied the school record for shutouts in a career with 11. She matched the mark, set by Amanda Fox in 75 games from 1996-99, in the Oct. 15th 0-0 tie with Washington State.

HISTORY MAKING WEEKEND:

By winning at the Arizona schools Oct. 6th-8th, the Ducks notched a number of significant marks. Here’s a brief rundown:

* Oregon defeated a top 25 team for just the second time in program history, and for the first time ever on the road, when it defeated No. 24 Arizona on Oct. 6th. In 41 meetings with top 25 teams, Oregon’s only previous defeat of a ranked team was a 2-1 win against No. 20 UCLA, Oct. 31st, 1999, in Eugene.

* Oregon swept a Pac-10 series for just the second time in school history and for the first time ever on the road. The Ducks swept the Arizona schools in Eugene in 1998.

* UO opened Pac-10 play 2-0 for the first time in school history.

GARBIN NAMED PAC-10 PLAYER OF THE WEEK AGAIN:

Senior forward Nicole Garbin has been named the Pac-10 Women’s Soccer Player of the Week for Oct. 3rd-9th, Commissioner Tom Hansen announced. Garbin, a native of Wailuku, Hawaii, became Oregon’s career points leader while leading Oregon to its first Pac-10 road sweep in school history. Garbin scored all of Oregon’s goals over the weekend, two in a 2-1 win at Arizona on Oct. 6th and a third in a 1-0 shutout at Arizona State on Oct. 8th. She passed Chalise Baysa (69 points, 1998-2001) for first place on Oregon’s career points list.

The sixth-year senior’s two goals against the Wildcats was the fifth multi-goal performance of her career, another Oregon record. This was Garbin’s second career player of the week award and the fifth all-time for Oregon. Garbin’s previous win came in 2003 during her sophomore year. She is the first Duck to win multiple Player of the Week honors.

SMITH GETS ANOTHER GAME-WINNER:

Junior Tiffany Smith has four career goals -- and three have been game-winners (tied for third on the UO career list). Smith has two game-winning goals this season -- Eastern Washington and Portland State (in double-overtime). Smith, a Eugene, Ore., native, transferred from PSU prior to the 2005 season. Smith also got the game-winning assist on Nicole Garbin’s score in the 2-1 upset of No. 24 Arizona on Oct. 6th. Her first non-game-winning goal came Oct. 13th in a 3-1 win against Washington.

ZALER THE 10TH ROOKIE TO PLAY IN 2006:

Freshman Emily Zaler became the 10th Oregon newcomer to play in 2006 when she started in goal Sept. 10th versus Iona, making three saves in the 3-2 win. The 10 newcomers who have played for Oregon so far this season are freshmen Barbara Blocker, Teresa Bowns, Melissa Buich, Rianna Mansfield, Dani Oster, Leigh Quinlan, Danielle Sweeney, Megan Watson and Zaler, and sophomore Adriana Montes.

DUCKS ON TV:

Comcast Cable will broadcast the Nov. 3rd UCLA game on a delayed basis on its cable systems throughout the state. More details on the broadcast will be announced next week.

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