Hannah Greene | Sports Editor

Death stares are exchanged as the Wolves and Ducks take the pitch to start the 2019 season. The University of Oregon Gold Women’s club team has repeatedly beat the Western Oregon University Women’s club team — but not this weekend. 

The game started out intense, everyone pressing every ball and going into every tackle strong and wanting to win. The battle was even with many transitions between both the Wolves and Ducks, neither team finding the back of the net. The first 25 minutes of play are clearly dominated by the Ducks, but they were unable to capitalize on multiple opportunities. 

The Wolves struggle to get offense going; luckily the defense continued to confidently hold their wall in front of game changer goalkeeper — Reilly Penziol, a junior and third year player for the Women’s Soccer club.

The first half ended with a score of 0-0, neither team able to connect ball to goal. At halftime, the Wolves talked game plan and tried to prepare for the second-half by changing the lineup ever so slightly. 

As the players take the field for the final portion of gameplay, nerves are no longer of concern —  scoring is all that is on mind.

A free kick opportunity was given to the Wolves due to foul play by the Ducks. Center defending midfielder — Hannah Greene, a returning player from last season — takes the free kick posing the first threat against the Ducks’s goalie. No luck — the shot was saved and the game preceded.  

Multiple subs were brought in and out, giving many Wolves’s players rest, while also trying to see where each athlete plays best. 

Towards the end of the game, the Ducks put high pressure against the Wolves, causing the Wolves to drop back and play a defensive game without any transitions to attack on goal. Lacey Knutson, a returner; Sydni Manuel, new addition; and Ming Ng, a returner, kept the wide unbeatable, leaving the Ducks to attack through the middle. The Ducks’s strongest player was left to play by herself as the Wolves anticipated multiple moves and marked up well. Chances were created through the middle, but Hannah Greene, returner, Kawehi Taniguchi, returner, Sarah Texter, returner, and Seidree Kealoha-Albarado, new addition, were there to stop any attack.

Although the battle fell to the Wolves half for most of the game, Western held strong and unwavering. The final score ended in a tie with zero goals for both teams. 

For the Women’s Club team, this was a great result and true test for the upcoming season — leaving the pitch bruised and burned but without a loss against their hardest opponent in the past. 

To finish the weekend, the Wolves played against Willamette University Bearcats, ending the game in another tie, with the final score of 1-1. No wins to start their season but no losses as well. The Women’s Club Soccer team plays against the University of Oregon Green next weekend, Oct. 19, in Eugene at 1 p.m. The Wolves’s next home game will be on Nov. 12 on the turf at 4:30 p.m.

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Photos by  Max Carmona