Quick Recaps: Cross Country and Soccer

Cross Country – Bill Dellinger Invitational

The Oregon cross country teams honored the legacy of Bill Dellinger in fitting fashion Friday, sweeping both the men’s and women’s races at their home meet, the Bill Dellinger Invitational, held at Pine Ridge Golf Club.

Running their first Dellinger Invitational since the passing of the meet’s namesake this summer, the Ducks claimed both individual and team titles with dominant performances. Benjamin Balazs won the men’s 8,000-meter race in 23:08.2, while Diana Cherotich captured the women’s 6,000-meter title in 18:58.81. Both Oregon squads finished with 16 points, taking the top four places and another in sixth for identical team victories.

It marked Oregon’s first sweep of the Dellinger Invitational since 2015, when Edward Cheserek and Alli Cash led the charge. The Ducks now look ahead to the Big Ten Championships on October 31 at Michigan State.

In the women’s race, Cherotich led from the start, followed closely by teammate Juliet Cherubet. Anika Thompson and Dalia Frias traded spots through the middle of the race before Thompson finished third and Frias fourth. Ella Thorsett rounded out Oregon’s scoring five in fifth. The team competed without Silan Ayyildiz and Mia Barnett, who continue to recover from extended track seasons.

On the men’s side, Weber State’s Peter Visser briefly disrupted Oregon’s early pack, but the Ducks quickly regrouped. Abdel Laadjel surged to the front before Balazs took control in the final kilometer, using his steeplechase speed to pull away. Evan Bishop placed second in his UO debut, followed by Laadjel in third, Aiden Smith in fourth, and Michael Mireles in sixth to seal the win.

The Ducks leave their home course with momentum and motivation as they turn their focus toward the championship stretch of the season.

Dellinger Invitational Results

MEN (top 5)
1. #14 Oregon – 16 | 1-2-3-4-6
2. #23 Air Force – 50 | 8-9-10-11-12
3. Weber State – 103 | 5-18-24-26-30
4. UC Davis – 120 | 7-14-20-38-41
5. UCLA – 135 | 16-21-28-31-39

1. Benjamin Balazs – 23:08.20
2. Evan Bishop – 23:09.89
3. Abdel Laadjel – 23:11.47
4. Aiden Smith – 23:15.46
6. Michael Mireles – 23:25.61
14. Connor Burns – 23:45.97
18. Simeon Birnbaum – 23:52.14
33. Jack Meier – 24:24.21
48. Will Heslam – 24:59.36
58. Cain Evans – 25:10.73
73. Ben Greene – 25:49.85

WOMEN (top 5)
1. #4 Oregon – 16 | 1-2-3-4-6
2. Air Force – 72 | 5-10-11-18-28
3. Oregon State – 87 | 7-17-20-21-22
4. UCLA – 99 | 12-15-16-26-30
5. Cal – 148 | 8-13-29-47-51

1. Diana Cherotich – 18:58.81
2. Juliet Cherubet – 19:42.93
3. Dalia Frias – 19:57.05
4. Anika Thompson – 20:03.70
6. Ella Thorsett – 20:17.18
9. Ali Ince – 20:27.91
19. Katie Clute – 20:57.02
21. Landen LeBlond – 21:02.55
26. Liliana Hudnut – 21:11.01
37. Allura Markow – 21:28.30
83. Hannah Seubert – 22:27.92

Oregon went toe-to-toe with one of the nation’s top defensive teams Thursday but fell 1-0 to No. 22 Ohio State at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

The Buckeyes, who entered the match with the country’s third-best defense at just 0.33 goals allowed per game, managed the only score of the night on a counterattack in the 52nd minute. Oregon, undeterred, put together one of its most active offensive efforts of the season with 11 total shots, including seven in the first half and five on target.

The Ducks created several early chances, starting with a shot on goal from Addisen Boyer less than two minutes in. Savannah Holley came off the bench in the 20th minute and immediately sparked the attack, taking three first-half shots. Despite Oregon’s pressure, Ohio State goalkeeper Molly Pritchard and the Buckeye defense held firm.

On the other end, Oregon’s sixth-year keeper Caeley Goldstein turned in a standout performance, recording seven saves to match her season high. She kept the Buckeyes scoreless through the first half before Riley Lijewski broke through on a long counter in the 52nd minute, lofting a shot from distance that just cleared Goldstein’s reach.

The Ducks nearly equalized in the 78th minute when Abella Hunter intercepted a slow back pass and collided with the Buckeye goalkeeper. The rebound fell to Carys Hall, whose high strike from the top of the box was punched over the crossbar at the last moment.

Carly Cormack scored twice, and Oregon fought through the loss of two starting defenders to earn a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Penn State on Sunday at Jeffrey Field.

Cormack gave the Ducks (2-9-4, 0-5-4) an early spark, scoring in the fifth minute off a setup from Abella Hunter following a Jayde Holley cross. After the Nittany Lions (7-5-3, 3-3-2) quickly equalized in the eighth minute, Cormack struck again in the 25th, intercepting a pass deep in Penn State’s end and chipping the ball over the goalkeeper to restore Oregon’s lead.

The Ducks held that advantage into the final minutes despite a physical match that took a toll on the back line. In the 87th minute, Jasmine Young, who had played every minute of the season, was forced to leave the game after a collision in the box. Moments after play resumed, fellow defender Selah Simms went down on a separate play that resulted in a Penn State penalty kick, leveling the score at 2-2.

Cormack’s brace marked her first career two-goal game and moved her into the team lead with three goals and eight points this season. The match also featured a milestone for the Holley sisters, Jayde and Savannah, who started together for the first time in their college careers.

The draw came in the first-ever meeting between Oregon and Penn State, showcasing the Ducks’ resilience against a physical Big Ten opponent.

Cross Country heads to East Lansing, MI for the Big 10 championships on October 31. Soccer returns to Eugene to host Wisconsin on October 16 for their “Stomp Out Cancer” game at 6pm at Pape Field.