A long-time bitter rivalry will shift into high gear this Saturday as the University of Oregon and Oregon State University lacrosse teams face each other at the Rose Garden from 3-5p. While already holding tough rivalries in nearly every other sport, the two universities have never gone head to head in box lacrosse. The game will take place right before the LumberJax take on the Calgary Roughnecks at 7:30p.
The last time the Ducks and Beavers lacrosse teams clashed on the field Oregon dismantled Oregon State 19-7 (April 23). That was a game in which current LumberJax player Danny Ernst (Grant High School) scored a goal and two assists for three points.
Saturday's game feature's one of the nation's top teams in UO. In the Dec. 9th MDIA Pre-Season Top-25 the Ducks were ranked seventh in the nation after finishing the season in the national quarterfinals with an 11-4 (5-1 PNCLL*) record. After winning the conference championship for the second-straight year, Oregon marched on to the quarterfinals before eventually falling to the Univ. of Michigan by a score of 7-4. That was also the Duck's second-straight trip to the quarters.
Oregon State struggled to a 4-4 (2-4 PNCLL*) record last season and failed to make the conference tournament. The Beavers are returning the PNCLL's fifth-leading scorer from last year though, junior attackman Richard Clayton who racked up 22 goals and six assists in just seven games.
After the LumberJax played to a crowd of a little under 10,000, the Jax decided to open selected sections in the 300 level. By opening the 300 level in the Rose Garden, the arena will accommodate more fans and give them more options when purchasing tickets. These selected 300 level sections will feature the best seats to view all the action on the turf.
*Both teams compete in the Pacific Northwest Collegiate Lacrosse League (PNCLL), a highly competitive intercollegiate lacrosse conference within the US Men's Division of Intercollegiate Associates (USL-MDIA). Other area colleges that compete in the PNCLL include Gonzaga, the University of Idaho, Simon Fraser and the University of Washington.
Tickets to the LumberJax for each of the eight home games range from $10.00-$25.00, with additional VIP seating available. Season and Group tickets can be purchased by calling 503.797.9739. Individual tickets can be purchased at the Rose Quarter Box Office (M-Sa 10a-5p), all Ticketmaster outlets, by calling 503.224.4400 or at PortlandJax.com. For single event suites call 503.963.3800. Prices do not include service charges.
The Portland LumberJax (www.PortlandJax.com) were founded on May 11, 2005 as an expansion franchise in the National Lacrosse League, which features the best lacrosse players in the world. LumberJax are owned by the youngest majority owner in professional sports, 25-year-old Angela Batinovich, who relocated permanently to Portland, OR from California. The LumberJax are one of 11 teams in the NLL and will play eight of the sixteen regular season games at the Rose Garden, which is owned by Portland Arena Management LLC. Global Spectrum, the facility management company for the Rose Quarter, serves as the sales, marketing, promotional, and publicity arm of the LumberJax.
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