The Oregon women’s lacrosse team lost to No. 11 Northwestern, 17-3, in their second conference game of the season on March 21. The Ducks, now holding a record of 6-4 overall and 0-2 in Big Ten play, were unable to keep pace with the Wildcats’ offensive performance.
This result is significant as it marks Oregon’s second consecutive conference loss and highlights the challenges faced by the team against nationally ranked opponents.
Oregon started strong defensively, holding Northwestern scoreless for the first ten minutes of play while goalkeeper Francesca Viteritti made two saves. However, Northwestern broke through late in the first quarter and scored five unanswered goals. Lyla Hurley led Oregon’s scoring with two goals, including one assisted by junior midfielder Lexi Jenkins at the start of the second period. Hurley’s two goals bring her season total to twelve, ranking fourth among Ducks players this year.
Northwestern continued their momentum with another five-goal run in the third quarter before Anna Simmons interrupted with a free-position goal for Oregon. Simmons now leads Oregon’s offense with eighteen goals this season and has also recorded fifty draw controls. Jenkins set a career high in assists during the game and contributed defensively by forcing two turnovers alongside midfielder Jadyn Laing.
Viteritti played a complete game for Oregon, recording a season-best eight saves on thirty-two shots faced. Hurley extended her streaks with her second straight multi-goal game and has now scored in twenty-one consecutive games.
Looking ahead, Oregon will begin its first conference road trip of the season with games against No. 25 Ohio State and No. 6 Michigan scheduled for Thursday and Sunday.
