Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012, December 08, 1980, Page 12, Image 11

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    Soccer team nets title with first shot
By JIM VITTT
Of th« Emerald
Winning the season-ending, league
championship-deciding game by
default wasn’t exactly what the Oregon
women’s soccer team had in mind.
But they’ll take it.
The soccer team, in its first season as
an intercollegiate sport, is this year’s
Northwest Collegiate Soccer Confer
ence champion The Ducks finished
with a 10-1-3 league record as a result
of Washington State University forfeit
ing Saturday’s game.
Cougar officials felt driving condi
tions were too hazardous as a result of
last week’s snowstorm, and phoned
Oregon to call off the contest.
"The team was really disappointed,’’
said Oregon coach John Feeney.
“They were really pumped for the
game, and then they didn't get to play.
"But we would have beat them any
way.”
Earlier this season, the Ducks
defeated the Cougars 5-2 in Pullman.
On Sunday, Oregon lost an exhibition
match, 1-0, against Team Adidas, a
high school all-star club from the Seat
tle-Tacoma area. The team is a national
junior title contender.
The astroturf field was icy before the
sun came out in the second half, but
that didn’t seem to bother the players
much, says Feeney.
‘This was the best soccer ever to be
played at Autzen Stadium,” he said.
"Both teams are very talented and both
played exceptionally well.”
The winning goal for Team Adidas
came in the first half off their only shot
of the half. Right wing Colleen Clancy
scored three minutes into the contest
with an assist from left halfback Cindy
Gordon.
At that point in the game, Oregon had
outshot the all-stars 7-1.
But, as Feeney said, “It’s hard to
make up a goal against a team that
good," and the Ducks found them
selves shut out for the first time this
season. When the dust had settled,
Oregon had been outshot 12-10 by the
visitors.
Since the game was an exhibition
match, it didn’t affect the Ducks’ overall
season record of 14-1-3. But despite
the loss, Feeney still had something to
smile about.
“About seven of the seniors (on
Team Adidas) have indicated that they
may be interested in playing for
Oregon,” he said.
"One of the problems we’ve had this
year was our lack of height,” Feeney
said, “but some of these women can
provide the height we need. They have
a couple of six-footers.”
The tallest Duck, Patti Scarci, is 5-9.
Additionally, said Feeney, new
comers from Team Adidas should be
easy to coach.
"Some of these women have been
playing soccer together for nine
years,” he said. "Most of our women
have only been playing a few years.”
That, said Feeney, will be an aid to
coaching.
“They’re skilled enough that we will
be able to concentrate on other things,
at a more advanced level of soccer.
“The Seattle-Tacoma area might be
the strongest area for women’s soccer
in the nation," Feeney said. ‘‘(Team
Adidas coach) Dan Swain has a lot to
do with that. He’s been there over ten
years and has a lot to do with promoting
soccer in that area.”
And all that, Feeney believes, should
help the Ducks at nationals next year.
Next year?
“This year’s nationals were already
held without us,” Feeney said. (Cort
land State of New York defeated UCLA
5-1 for the title.) "The Northwest
schedule is a little different from the
rest of the country. Everyone else fin
ished in early November, so we missed
out.”
Feeney said he thinks the local
schedules will be adjusted by next year,
but the Ducks will still get to go to
nationals as the NCSC representative.
Those games will be held in
November in North Carolina.
But before next fall, the Ducks will
Emerald photo
Michele Potestio led Oregon's league
champ soccer team in scoring with 22
goals.
compete in several tournaments as part
of their spring schedule.
In February, Oregon and three other
teams will compete in a tournament at
Humboldt State College in Areata, Calif.
In April, the Ducks have two tour
naments scheduled. Six teams will
square off at Stanford University (Palo
Alto, Calif.) and 10 teams will seek the
Westmont Tournament title in the lar
gest tournament on the West Coast,
held in Santa Barbara, Calif.
Feeney said the Ducks are also trying
to schedule some games with Port
land-area schools.
“They’ll be good for us because we
haven’t played anyone except North
west teams. This will give us a better
look at how we can compete national
ly.”
Feeney feels Oregon would fare
pretty well on the national level.
“Some of our players are of interna
tional caliber,” he said.
The athletes apparently agree.
“A lot of people are going to notice
us this spring,” says goalie Pat Wasp.
"You're going to be hearing about
women’s soccer at Oregon a lot.”
' Presented by
GREENPEACE
WHALES
and
DOLPHINS
EMU Ballroom
Monday Dec. 8
7:30 pm $1.00
a slide show
by international
whale photographer
Bob Pittman
Come &
Find Us Sale.
Berg’s cross-country shop has moved in
with Berg’s downhill shop at 13th &
Lawrence — and we’re having a special
pre-holiday sale!
Cross Country
and Downhill
Ski Rentals:
$5 per day
$9 per weekend
Cross Country Skis
Cross Country Accessories
Outdoor Clothing
Tents
Sleeping Bags
Books
Packs
Climbing Gear
Cooking Gear
ALL 20% OFF!
Special
limited time only!
Woolrich
hamois Shirts
$14.95
GOLD
CHAINS
Student Accounts Welcome
The Diamond People