The Nevada Sagebrush

After losing its head coach Tuesday, the Wolf Pack battled through its season opener against the Oregon Ducks Friday night at Mackay Stadium only to endure a 1-0 loss.

Former head coach Terri Patraw left the program this week. Assistant coach Antoinette Marjonovic was immediately named interim head coach.

“The coach doesn’t make the team, the players do,” freshman forward Cristen Drummond said. “We have done a good job pulling together and keeping our morale in the same place that it was.”

In the first half the Wolf Pack went without a single shot compared to the six that were made by Oregon.

At 12:28 into the first half, the Ducks completed a shot as Tiffany Smith faked left and passed to Jessica Goodell who fired the ball into the top right corner of Nevada’s goal.

For the remainder of the first half the Wolf Pack inched its way toward Oregon’s goal, but was always stopped by Duck defenders.

Late in the second half, the pace of the game changed as Nevada pushed its way down the field and started taking shots ending the game with six, one less than Oregon who had one in the second half.

“In the second half we kept up with them and kept shoving it down their throats,” Drummond said. “It would have been a totally different game if we would have played with that same intensity in the first half.”

Three freshmen, including goalkeeper Marie Cove, started the game. Five of the six newcomers on the roster received ample playing time

Cove recorded two saves out of the three shots the Ducks took on Nevada’s goal.