The Stanford women’s lacrosse team opened its season on Saturday with a rainy 10-6 loss to Oregon. Though the Cardinal kept up the pressure amidst the unfavorable weather conditions, they let the Ducks go on a 6-0 run that allowed them to walk away with a victory.

The score remained close throughout the first half, and with less than nine minutes until halftime, it was tied 4-4. Stanford senior Michelle DeChant scored twice while freshman Lauren Schmidt and senior Liz Piselli each scored once. However, within twelve seconds of Schmidt’s tying goal, Oregon sophomore Allison Leiner scored and started her team’s rally. The Ducks scored once more with less than a minute left in the half, giving themselves a 6-4 lead.

Oregon carried their momentum into the second half, scoring two goals within a span of six minutes. Though the Cardinal had 10 shots in the second half, with 12:42 left in the game the Ducks had racked up two more goals while continuing to hold Stanford scoreless.

With less than eight minutes left in the game, Oregon’s defense broke down enough to allow Schmidt and junior Daphne Patterson to net another two goals for the Cardinal. But that was the end of the scoring for both teams, and the score stood at 10-6, in the Ducks’ favor, as time expired.

Despite the loss, Stanford’s play was comparable, if not superior, to Oregon’s in more than one respect. The Cardinal offense took a total of 24 shots to the Ducks’ 23, and Stanford’s junior goalkeeper Laura Shane made six saves to Oregon’s five.

The loss marked the end of Stanford’s five-game winning streak against the Ducks, and it was also the first time since 2000 that the Cardinal opened the season with a loss.

Last year, the Stanford lacrosse team made history after winning the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) title for the second year in a row and became the first team west of the Mississippi to make it to the NCAA Tournament. In January 2007, Lacrosse Magazine named Stanford as their 16th pick overall in their annual preseason college rankings.

This season marks head coach Michele Uhlfelder’s seventh season with the Cardinal, and her career record of 72-36 makes her one of the most successful coaches in the NCAA. The team is captained this year by its four seniors: Liz Piselli, Rachel Dyke, Michelle DeChant and Bryanne Gilkinson. There are 20 returning letter winners from last year’s squad, along with eleven freshmen new to the Farm.

The Cardinal’s next game comes on Friday at Saint Mary’s. The Gaels, who fell in an 18-7 loss to Stanford last year, have yet to play a game this season.