Soccer team on final road trip

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat Junior forward Megan Canaday (12) fights off a Washington State defender during their match last Sunday. The Arizona soccer team faces the Oregon Ducks today in Eugene and will match up with Oregon State Sunday in Corvallis.

Both senior forward Nikki Jones and junior forward Megan Canaday are from Oregon. Jones is a graduate of Canby High School in Canby, Ore., and Canaday of Jesuit High School in Lake Oswego, Ore.

First stop on the team's traveling agenda is Eugene, Ore., where the Wildcats (3-8-2 overall, 0-4-1 Pacific 10 Conference) will take on the Ducks (4-8-2, 1-4-0) at 3 this afternoon. Then, on Sunday afternoon at 1, the Wildcats will find themselves trying to defeat the Beavers (5-9-1, 0-5) of Oregon State in Corvallis.

A victory in either of these games will be a key to break the Wildcats' five-game winless streak, as well as get head coach Lisa Fraser her 100th career win.

Another Wildcat on the verge of a record breakthrough is Jones, who is one assist away from tying the school record of assists with six in a season.

Jones currently leads the Wildcats' scoring with four goals and five assists.

Sophomore midfielder Brooke McManus and freshman midfielder Twila Kaufmann have each contributed four goals to the scoring stats, as well.

And with one goal and four assists, are Canaday and freshman forward Kimberly McGehee.

In order for those players to have a chance at the net this weekend, the Wildcat defenders will have to stop Oregon freshman forward Chalise Baysa, who leads the Ducks' scoring with seven goals.

Last season when the two teams squared off, the Ducks came home with a 2-1 victory.

The Beavers didn't find similar success against the Wildcats last year, falling to the UA, 2-0 in Tucson.

To repeat that outcome, the Wildcats will have to get the ball in the net past Beaver goalkeeper sophomore Elizabeth Pease, who has a 2.00 goals against average this season. They will also have to keep the ball away from the quick feet of senior forward Lindy Brown, who leads the Beavers' scoring with eight goals and five assists.

"I think if we go out and do what we need to do," UA sophomore goalkeeper Inger Airheart said, "we can come back with two wins."

The Wildcats will return to Tucson to wrap up Pac-10 play next weekend, hosting UCLA and Southern Cal.

The Bruins are ranked No. 4 and the Trojans No. 8 in the NSCAA regional rankings for this week.

Kate Longworth can be reached via e-mail at Kate.Longworth@wildcat.arizona.edu.