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Gordon Scores Four as No. 6 Oregon Holds Off No. 10 Penn 7-3 For Third Place at National Club Championship
DAVIS, Calif. -- Beth Gordon (So., Walnut Creek, Calif.) found the back of the cage four times, including twice in the third period to break open a 2-2 from halftime, to earn Player of the Game accoloades as the No. 6-nationally ranked University of Oregon Ducks held off No. 10 University of Pennsylvania 7-3 in the third place game of the 2009 National Collegiate Club Championship contested at the University of California-Davis.
The win gives Oregon is second straight top three finish at a National Collegiate Club Championship as the Ducks placed second at the 2008 tournament at home in Oregon. Prior to last year's finish, the program's best placement came in 2001 as the Ducks placed fourth.
Overall, the 2009 championship marked the Ducks seventh appearance at Nationals as the team previously competed in 2001 (fourth), 2002 (10th), 2005 (eighth), 2006 (13th), 2007 (fifth) and 2008 (second).
Against Penn, Oregon fell in an early hole as the Quakers struck first with a tally by Sheena Curtin (Gr., West Jordan, Utah) with 35 seconds left in the first period. However, the Ducks answered 11 seconds later with a man-up goal by Hilary Wilcox (Fr., Portland, Ore.) wtih four ticks showing on the game clock to knot the game at 1-1.
The Quakers went back in front with 3:56 left in the second period as Kathryn Nary (Fr., Westlake Village, Calif.) drilled a perimeter shot into the cage for a 2-1 lead before Gordon answered with a bar-in off a perimeter shot with 2:47 remaining in the period for a 2-2 tie at halftime.
Oregon took the lead for the first time at 5:30 of the third period when Gordon registered a counter-attack marker to go ahead 3-2. The margin expanded to 5-2 by the end of the period as Laura von Stockhausen (Jr., San Jose, Calif.) and Gordon netted a bar-in and a counter-attack goal at 4:37 and 41 seconds, respectively, to accelerate the Ducks ahead 5-2 with a period of play remaining.
Penn was unable to chip away at the deficit and close within striking distance of Oregon as Gordon added her fourth tally on a penalty shot at 5:07 and Wilcox chipped in a man-up score at 3:02 to build a 7-2 lead in the fourth period.
Kris Miller (Gr., Houston, Texas) wrapped up the scoring with 22 seconds left in regulation with a backhand shot from two-meters out for the 7-3 final.
In cage, Jessica Kragt (Jr., Portland, Ore.) made 11 saves to pick up the win for the Ducks, while Elizabeth Lawrence (Jr., Menands, N.Y.) wrestled down nine shots for the Quakers.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final |
| No. 10 University of Pennsylvania | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| No. 6 University of Oregon | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
Oregon Goals: Beth Gordon (4); Hilary Wilcox (2); Laura von Stockhausen
Penn Goals: Sheena Curtin; Kris Miller; Kathryn Nary
Saves: Oregon - Jessica Kragt (11) ; Penn - Elizabeth Lawrence (9)
Ejections: Oregon - 1 ; Penn - 4
Sprints: Oregon - 2 (Hilary Wilcox - 1st, Beth Gordon - 2nd) ; Penn - 2 (Soleil Roberts - 3rd, 4th)
