Sports Editor
Peter Hockaday
peterhockaday@dailyemerald.com
Monday, November 11,2002
-Oregon Daily Emerald
Sports
Online
Oregon volleyball
couldn't handle USC and
UCLA, but played solidly.
Mark Harrison The Seattle Times
Washington State's Mike Bush pulls in a pass from quarterback Jason Gesser. Oregon contained
the Cougar passing attack, but the Cougars defeated the Ducks for the first time since 1997.
Fife shoulders blame
for sluggish offense
Jason Fife and the Ducks produce only 252
yards of offense in Saturday’s loss
lUJ^ Oregon 21
Washington State 32
Peter Hockaday
Sports Editor
PULLMAN, Wash. — After Saturday’s tough 32
21 loss to Washington State, Jason Fife and Keenan
Howry left the makeshift Oregon interview room at
the same time but not together. Fife went first, fol
lowed two steps behind by Howry, both with heads
down and not talking to each other.
They didn’t meet much on the field Saturday,
either.
With Washington State’s defense stacked toward
the run — the Cougars desperately wanted to pre
vent a repeat of Onterrio Smith’s 285-yard per
formance of 2001 — Fife took the blame for a pass
ing attack that hardly made Washington State pay
for its run-oriented defense.
“When it came down to it, I wasn’t effective,” a
dejected Fife said after the loss. “My performance
didn’t help at all. In fact, I think it hindered us.”
Fife went 16-for-35 — 47 percent — for 192 yards,
one touchdown and one interception. Smith rushed
25 times for 64 yards — his lowest rush total of the
season — and the Ducks produced 252 yards for
their weakest offensive showing of the season.
“We just were not efficient today,” Oregon head
coach Mike Bellotti said. “I don’t think we were
particularly effective throwing the ball.”
Most of the offensive players were quick to de
fend the Oregon defense, which scored two touch
downs and, for the most part, kept Washington
State star quarterback Jason Gesser in check.
Gesser went 20-for-38 — 53 "percent — and threw
four touchdowns, but two of his scores were easy
lobs to tall receivers and one was an odd pass that
deflected off Marques Binns and into the hands of
Devard Darling.
“Overall, our defense played with great charac
ter,” Bellotti said.
Washington State’s defense, which sacked Fife
four times, received cautious praise from the
Ducks, who in general blamed their own “O” rather
than the Cougar “D.”
“I don’t want to talk about their defense,” tight
end George Wrighster said. “I think it was more on
our offense.”
Despite all the offensive struggles, Oregon still
entered the fourth quarter of Saturday’s loss with a
21-20 lead. But the Ducks started the fourth quar
ter with a four-play drive that ended in a punt, then
watched as the Cougars went on a 96-yard drive for
a touchdown to put Washington State ahead 26-21.
On the Ducks’ next possession, Fife threw an inter
ception that set up the Cougars’ final scoring drive.
“Regardless of the situation, if coach gives me a
play, I should be able to execute,” Fife said.
Later in the fourth quarter, with Oregon strug
gling to get back into the contest, the Ducks exe
cuted a drive that typified their offensive effort on
the afternoon.
Fife scrambled for 12 yards, hit Howry for a 27
yard gain and then hit Wrighster for a 31-yard pass.
Three plays later, Howry was thrown for a loss on
an attempted trick play, setting up Jared Siegel —
who had hit 15-straight field goals — for a 40-yard
field goal attempt.
“The most upsetting thing about that kick was
that it was going to put us in position to win,” Siegel
said. “The most frustrating thing was not being able
to help my team when it needed me.”
For the Ducks, it was just the anti-exclamation
point on an anemic offensive performance.
Contact the sports editor
at peterhockaday@dailyemerald.com.
Ducks’ season
ends with loss
Oregon finishes its year with a loss to rival Oregon State,
but even that couldn’t break their spirit on that rainy day
Soccer
Jesse Thomas
Sports Reporter
The Oregon women’s soccer team fell to rival Oregon State on
Friday night at Pape Field in its second all-time loss to the Beavers.
In the seventh edition of the annual Civil War and the final
game for both teams, the Ducks found themselves trailing early
and couldn’t rally in a 2-1 loss.
Oregon State began its charge in the 28th minute as forward
Katie Henderson scored from five yards center after senior goal
keeper Sarah Peters raced out for the save. The ball was lost in a
crowd, but the Beavers recovered to cross it parallel to the net,
where Henderson converted.
The Beavers clinched the game with two minutes left in the first
half when forward Tessa Baker sprinted up the center of the field,
split the defense and found the back of the net from 17 yards out.
Again, Peters charged out of the box to try and wrap up the
ball, and a split-second move by Baker allowed the Beavers to
take a 2-0 lead.
“Oregon State stayed very composed and organized,” Ore
gon head coach Bill Steffen said. “We made mistakes and lost
battles in the first half that cost us, and as a result, we dug our
selves a hole we couldn’t get out of.”
Amid pouring rain and 47 degree temperatures, Oregon
found itself 65 minutes into play before it scored. Junior mid
fielder Lindsey Werdell began Oregon’s offensive charge by
scoring from 18 yards center on a penalty kick to put the Ducks
on the scoreboard.
Oregon rallied in the last seconds of the game, seeking the
goal that would press the game to overtime. However, amid the
desperation, the Ducks could not find that last score.
“We just couldn’t put one in the back of the net. We were so
Turn to Soccer, page 6
Ducks exhibit offense in victory,
with aggressive play, rebounds
7 ,
Adam Amato Emeralc
Sophomore Andrea Bills is swarmed by Horsholm BBC defenders, bu
overall, the Ducks had no problem offensively.
The Oregon women’s basketball team comes out
firing in a 57-point victory in its exhibition game
Women’s basketball
Hank Hager
Sports Reporter
It’s hard to point out what was most impressive about Ore
gon’s 100-43 victory over Horsholm BBC Saturday in front of
3,540 at McArthur Court.
Was it the fact that the Ducks jumped out to a 20-0 lead to
start the game, or that they held their overseas competition to
just 19 points in the first half?
“Holding them to under 20 points in the first half,” senior
Shaquala Williams said. “Our focus was defense. We know we
can score, but we haven’t proven we can defend yet, at least to
our coaches, so it was more important for us to get off to a great
defensive start.”
Oregon, which exhibited the same up-tempo offense that
helped lead them to the WNIT Championship last season, made
11 of its first 12 shots in the game en route to the blowout.
Every Duck scored — including freshman Yadili Okwumabua,
whose only free throw make pushed the Ducks to 100 points —
with Williams leading the way with 20.
“There was tremendous depth we were able to play with
tonight,” head coach Bev Smith said. “It is important to get
everyone some playing time, especially here at Mac Court.”
As was not the norm last season, every Oregon player grabbed
at least one rebound against Horsholm. As a team, the Ducks
pulled down 53 boards and held Horsholm to just five offensively.
“We talked about rebounding, just playing aggressively, and
getting open shots,” junior Cathrine Kraayeveld said.
Kraayeveld posted a double-double with 14 points and 12
boards, while sophomore Kedzie Gunderson made the most of
her first start with a 15-point performance.
Smith said the Ducks entered the contest keying on three
Turn to Basketball, page 6