FEB. 1, 2021
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BIGGER THAN SPORTS HOW OREGON ATHLETES ARE LEADING THE FIGHT AGAINST RACIAL INJUSTICE
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EUGENE ART ENGAGES IN SOCIAL JUSTICE PG 8
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GOODBYE PROFESSIONALISM, HELLO REALITY PG 10
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WOMEN’S TENNIS LOSES IN SEASON OPENER PG 11 M O N D AY, F E B R U A R Y 1 , 2 0 2 1
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ON THE COVER
Several thousand protesters gathered at a Black Lives Matter protest taking place at the Eugene Courthouse in response to police brutality and the killing of Black individuals. A Black Lives Matter protest takes place in Eugene, Ore., on May 31, 2020. (Kimberly Harris/ Emerald)
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“WE WANT TO EMPOWER THOSE WHO MAY NOT HAVE ENOUGH EXPOSURE TO HIGHER EDUCATION TO PURSUE THEIR DREAMS IN SCIENCE,” MINH NGUYEN, PRESIDENT OF UO MINORITY ASSOCIATION OF PRE-MEDICAL STUDENTS, SAID.
REGIONAL AND STATE NEWS
BY CLAIRE WARNER • TWITTER @CLAIRENWARNER The University of Oregon’s Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students is gathering mentees for its new mentorship program, MAP IT OUT. Minh Nguyen, president of UO MAPS, founded the program which aims to “support high school students from underrepresented communities who are interested in pursuing a career in healthcare or science-based research,” according to the program’s website. The group hopes to serve first-generation students, DACA recipients, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ students, individuals from low income households or those who have physical or mental disabilities, Nguyen said. Participating high school students will attend biweekly check-in meetings with their designated UO student mentors, as well as monthly activities, which include workshops, guest-speaker events and Q&A panels. “When COVID-19 hit, none of us could have imagined the damage that it all had on us as students,” Nguyen said. “We know that for students from marginalized backgrounds who don’t necessarily have the resources to succeed, this can even be a greater challenge for them and might deter them from entering the STEM profession.” High school students will have the opportunity to ask their mentors questions about their course work, scientific research and college applications. Chris Garcia, treasurer and outreach team lead for UO MAPS, said one draw for UO students to become mentors for the program is “the feeling of satisfaction that you are helping those before you in a way that nobody did for you.” He said he wished he had the opportunity to participate in a mentorship program like MAP IT OUT when he was in high school. “If I had someone
to tell me or guide me on some four year plan or tips and tricks on the MCAT, I know I would have started things way sooner and I would have definitely been better off now,” Garcia said. The program is funded by UO’s Division of Equity and Inclusion, Institute of Neuroscience, Institute of Molecular Biology and Department of Biology. Nguyen said funds will be used to purchase shirts for mentees and sponsor program activities. She also hopes that they will be able to offer scholarships to select mentees who take advantage of the program’s activities. UO MAPS has also collaborated with collegepreparatory programs Oregon Young Scholars Program and Summer Academy to Inspire Learning to help recruit mentees. “It’s one of my goals to expose our students to more STEM-related studies, and we have a lot of students who are interested in healthcare fields,” said Barbara Marbury, director of OYSP. Marbury also serves as the staff advisor for MAP IT OUT, helping the team work through the logistics of working with minors, including policies requiring background checks for mentors and ensuring that no minor is left alone with only one adult at a time, even on Zoom. “Risk management has definitely been one of the biggest obstacles,” Garcia said. Despite reaching out to over 100 Oregon, Washington and California high schools, he said recruiting mentees has been unexpectedly difficult. One California high school’s administration expressed concern about the validity of the mentors’ background checks and wanted volunteers fingerprinted, a process Garcia said was too difficult for the team to pursue during the pandemic. Despite the challenges the team has faced, they have managed to recruit 20 mentors and more than 10 mentees, he said. They plan to hold a volunteer orientation, program kick-off meeting and create mentor-mentee pairings in the coming weeks. “As an organization,” Nguyen said, “we could raise enough resources and gather enough interested volunteers that when we come together we can create a substantial force that’s enough to make a difference for these students.”
Minh Nguyen, the president of the Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students, or MAPS, is a senior studying neuroscience at the University of Oregon. The Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students, or MAPS, is starting a new mentor program, Map It Out. The program pairs UO STEM majors with high school students from marginalized backgrounds who have an interest in going into STEM fields at the University of Oregon, and helps to connect students with professionals and scholarship opportunities. (Will Geschke/Emerald)
UK AND CALIFORNIA STRAIN BOTH OFFICIALLY IN OREGON: The first cases of the “California” strain of COVID-19 are confirmed in Oregon, as well as additional cases of the U.K. COVID-19 strain. According to KOIN 6, 5 people from Oregon State University tested positive for the California strain, and more samples have been found in campus wastewater. Oregon Health Authority reported that the U.K. strain has made it to Washington, Yamhill and Multnomah counties. – KATHERINE WINELAND LIVE DANCE: Fermata Ballet Collective will present its program “VIRTUAL,” featuring original works by its company members and local videographers. Hosted on Zoom, “VIRTUAL challenges the existing boundaries of modern performance art while sharing authenticity through art mediums,” according to FBC’s Facebook page. Following the concert, there will be a Q&A with FBC members. Shows will take place Feb. 13-14 and tickets can be purchased for $12 by emailing fermataballetcollective@ gmail.com. – JENNAH PENDLETON
(Kevin Wang/Emerald)
COVID-19 RESCHEDULES BASKETBALL GAMES: Both men’s and women’s basketball programs at the University of Oregon faced cancellations in the past week due to virus protocols. The men’s team saw its second lockdown in under a month with the postponement of matchups with UCLA and USC. Kelly Graves’ highly ranked women’s team was scheduled to take on Utah and Colorado this weekend, but will do so at a later date. – CHARLES GEARING
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NEWS
UO LAUNCHES NEW ACTIVE RETENTION INITIATIVE FOR FACULTY OF COLOR OFFICE OF THE PROVOST AND DEI COLLABORATE TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN FACULTY OF COLOR ACROSS ALL DEPARTMENTS BY JOANNA MANN • TWITTER @JOANNA_MANN_
(Courtesy of Charlotte Moats-Gallagher)
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The Office of the Provost and the Division of Equity and Inclusion are working together to start a new active retention initiative for faculty of color. The project is led by the UO Center on Diversity and Community and will focus on conducting exit interviews with faculty of color who have left in the last five years so the university can better understand how to make the institution a more inclusive and welcoming space. CoDac Director Charlotte MoatsGallagher said the project is not only about attracting faculty of color to the university, but keeping that attraction going so they choose to stay long term. “It’s how we do recruitment — making our recruitments more equitable, more inclusive, more civil,” Moats-Gallagher said. “We’re doing things, but we’re not doing it in a deliberate, intentional way. We’re at the very beginning, nascent stages of coming up with a parallel, deep dive on retention.” She said that since the United States is on its way to becoming a non-white majority, it is critical for the university to look and feel like the overall demographic of the country. According to census data from 2019, the U.S. is 60.1% white, and that number seems to be declining every year. As of the 201920 school year, UO students are 60% white and staff are 83% white. “I think what this initiative is for me is a chance to listen in ways that we haven’t before, to really listen to our faculty who are currently here and
to our faculty who have left,” MoatsGallagher said. “To hear in ways that we have not heard before, and then to act in ways that we have not even conceived of acting before based on what we hear.” Associate Professor Gerard Francisco Sandoval is working on the initiative from the academic literature side. He has spent the last several months doing an extensive literature review on the five main factors that contribute to faculty of color leaving the university. The first factor is cultural taxation, which is the extra time faculty of color are expected to spend working on diversity and inclusion issues. The second factor is psychological racial trauma, which deals with the hostile racial environment of the university. Sandoval explained a concept called John Henryism, which is when faculty of color feel they have to prove to their peers and even their students that they belong at the university. “Every time I start a class I tell my students I have a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley,” Sandoval said. “Cause in a way I have to show my credentials, that I am legit.” Factor three is devaluing scholarship, meaning faculty of color’s research is not always seen as legitimate as white faculty’s research on the same topic. The fourth factor is racial battle fatigue, which is the combination of experiencing the other three factors at once. Some compare it to PTSD, Sandoval said, as the
Skyla Patton Editor in Chief Special Sections
We don’t live in a bubble at the university. We live in the state of Oregon and we go out and interact with the community and there’s just a lot of racial tension in this town.” GERARD FRANCISCO SANDOVAL Associate professor
amount of pressure on faculty of color to do extra work and represent their ethnicity often becomes too much. “We don’t live in a bubble at the university. We live in the state of Oregon and we go out and interact with the community and there’s just a lot of racial tension in this town,” Sandoval said. “The accumulation of all these things can have health consequences on faculty.” Sandoval calls the fifth and final factor “transforming the racist narrative.” As the university becomes more diverse and creates more programs for equity and inclusion, it puts an added burden on faculty of color because they want to nurture these programs, she said. All of the work they put into these programs takes time away from their research and productivity, and in order to get tenure, faculty members must be productive researchers. “I’ve experienced all the things I’m talking about,” Sandoval said. “It’s great to do the research, it’s almost like therapy for me.” Associate Professor Lamia Karim has been at the university since 2003, and she said she has noticed an improvement in diversity in recent years. However, she said she is presently the only brown-skinned faculty member in the Anthropology department, and the few others that
were there either left or transferred to another department. “People often say that they were not comfortable in the departmental climate,” Karim said. “So how do you change existing climate and make units really diverse and inclusive? That is, how do you change people’s attitudes and make People of Color feel welcome? That is a much harder thing to do.” Karim said having a diverse faculty as well as a diverse student body helps everyone in terms of understanding the world and bringing in different perspectives. “We live in a multicultural world, not only a multicultural United States. As I tell my students, when you graduate, you don’t know who your boss or your fellow workers will be,” she said. Sandoval also mentioned that being exposed to people of color in positions of power and influence is a critical component of every student’s education, because some students may have never experienced that before. “There’s a really difficult and sad history in this state around issues of racism,” Sandoval said. “In a way there’s that equitable piece and the ethical part that the university needs to make amends for all of that injustice. The university should be the one at the forefront of that.”
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COVER
BLACK OPPRESSION SIGNIFIED NEW MOMENT IN OREGON SPORTS HISTORY
OREGON ATHLETES FELT EMPOWERED TO SPEAK OUT, REFUSING TO SHUT UP AND PLAY BY CARLY EBISUYA & CHRIS BROUILETTE Activism in sports isn’t new. Think back to Tommie Smith and John Carlos saluting Black power at the 1968 Olympics. Recall Muhammad Ali’s concientious objection to the Vietnam War. Remember Colin Kaepernick’s knee sparking a nationwide debate over systematic oppression? Collegiate athletes are standing up and speaking out against the oppression of Black people. This past summer, more than ever Oregon past and present athletes felt empowered to speak out for themselves and others directly oppressed. Passion, fear and anger fueled athletes in a way where consequences didn’t matter — they had to speak up. In June, protests erupted after the world witnessed the killing of George Floyd. The unrest was widespread. Starting in Minneapolis, the movement touched every corner of America, including Eugene.
Athletes’ eyes and ears were no longer concentrated on the field. Whether people liked it or not, the country was forced to face the realities of racial injustice and the long, continuing history of oppression against People of Color in the United States. Amidst a roaring pandemic, with sports on pause, there was no better time for athletes to make themselves heard, and Oregon’s made sure people listened. The state of Oregon shares a bleak history of racial oppression with the rest of the country. The University of Oregon, advertently or not, perpetuates this history. With one of the most recognizable brands in collegiate athletics, past and current Oregon athletes used their platform to lead change. Oregon football showcased their unity and fighting against racial injustice in a number of ways. The team
wore t-shirts that read “End Racism” during warmups and helmet stickers with the same slogan. Football safety Jevon Holland also utilized his social media following to advocate for the University’s Deady Hall to be renamed. Holland, who now awaits his name being called in the 2021 NFL Draft, spoke against Matthew Deady, a former Oregon politician, and his “[advocation] for discrimination against Chinese and Black immigrants,” as well as Deady’s support for slavery. Holland’s message gained traction, and forced the University to vote on the name change. In June, the UO board of trustees held an emergency meeting and unanimously voted to remove the name of Deady Hall and temporarily replace it with University Hall. Before kickoff of the season opener, the Ducks and their opponent, the Stanford Cardinal, linked arms for 30 seconds on their respective sidelines in a “Show of
University of Oregon women’s basketball players, Nyara Sabally and Ruthy Hebard, stands among other protestors gathering at Alton Baker Park during a Black Lives Matter protest in response to police brutality and the killing of Black individuals. A Black Lives Matter protest takes place in Eugene, Ore on May 31, 2020. (Kimberly Harris/Emerald)
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COVER Solidarity” to recognize their fight for social justice. At the forefront of support for the players was none other than head coach Mario Cristobal. Under his leadership, he wanted to do more than post on social media. He listened to his staff and his players, people who were in pain regarding the racial issues this country faces. He attended a Black Lives Matter protest on May 31 that he described as “overwhelmingly powerful” the next day in a press conference. “There’s just a ton of emotion,” Cristobal said. “There’s anger, there’s frustration, but the best part about it is there’s solidarity.” “The coaches are learning. I’m learning,” he said. “The number one priority is the players and their parents knowing and trusting and feeling that we’re going to be there for them 24-7 to talk to and lean on.” In a press conference, he talked about how he, his staff, his players and the players’ parents had multiple conversations and open dialogue about the issues that the Black community faces in this country and what he could do in a leadership role to listen, learn, educate and be informed for his players. Intersectionality is an important facet of the racial injustice fight. On top of racial discrimination, women of color have to face the challenges that come with gender discrimaition. Last fall, goducks.com featured a series of articles titled “Student Athletes Reimagined,” in which three athletes addressed their experiences as women of color. Jazzy Contreras, a Mexican American softball player, Gloria Mutiri, a Black volleyball player and Bella Setio, an Asian American golfer, all shared unique perspectives on how their identity has affected their experiences not only in sports, but in life. “It’s important to me that we stand with the idea of Black Lives Matter,” Setio wrote. “It’s important to me
because of what I see happening in our country today. It’s important because of what I learned — and didn’t learn — about our country’s history while growing up, and it’s important because of experiences from my life as an Asian American.” Oregon athletes have used their position to lead discussion and reflection on the state of racial
“Black women are really on the top line of facing intersectionality. We always have to justify our emotions and how we act as women... [while] still facing racism. SATOU SABALLY UO ALUMNA AND DALLAS WINGS FORWARD
relations in the country. But current Ducks weren’t the only ones speaking out. Satou Sabally, a UO almuna and current forward for the Dallas Wings, spoke in an interview with Portland’s KOIN 6 news. She reflected on the challenges that come with being a black woman. “Black women are really on the top line of facing intersectionality” she said. “We always have to justify our emotions and how we act as women… [while] still
facing racism.” While Black football, basketball and track and field athletes were the drivers for racial justice during the 1980s and the decades before, Black collegiate athletes across the nation are now coming together from all sports. They are telling their stories and using their platforms as athletes and as activists to inform, educate and amplify the voices of other oppressed communities, particularly those in the Black community on college campuses. When the Pac-12 #WeAreUnited statement was released, some players received backlash from their coaches, peers, teammates and pushback from an institutionalized system that suppresses the power of college athletes. According to a New York Times article, a football coach at Washington State threatened the players to empty out their locker if they were to join the Pac-12 conference unity group. But, changes are happening. The power is growing. More and more people are listening. Players are standing beside their teammates, coaches are leading and supporting the charge for change, initiatives are forming, more people are being informed and educated. Black athletes and those who stand with them are fighting back against the oppression that those before them lived through not so long ago. They are insisting on systemic change and making their voices heard wherever they can. They are doing more than just playing sports. They are reviving the power of those who were marginalized. Even though there is more to do, collegiate athletes have the power and platform to speak out against injustices in this country. This is the beginning of collegiate athletes speaking their truth and their experiences after years of social and systemic oppression. They will not shut up and dribble, or shut up and play. Their power is rising, and they won’t stop.
Protesters gather at a Black Lives Matter protest taking place at the Eugene Courthouse in response to police brutality and the killing of Black individuals. A Black Lives Matter protest takes place in Eugene, Ore on May 31, 2020. (Kimberly Harris/Emerald)
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AlumnI TAKE FLIGHT
A&C
EUGENE’S ARTS & CULTURE UO Alumni share career lessons they’ve learned
Tomas Flores
Job Title: Director of Financial Services at the Oregon Department of Education Major: Business Administration Graduated: 1994 Tomas Flores is the Director of Financial Services at the Oregon Department of Education, which provides leadership for all elementary and secondary students in public schools and education service districts. He is responsible for the accounting and fiscal grant management of the department. Tomas is a certified public accountant (CPA) and has 25 years of governmental accounting experience. He has volunteered as a board member of the Latino Educational and Recreational Network, serves on the advisory board of the State Employees Credit Union, and is a member of the UOAA Board of Directors. What type of leader do you admire the most? I look for those who are honest and have integrity. It’s important to be honest in any business and is a really valuable quality. I also admire those who model the behavior that they learned from others, when you can see people learning and adapting. What advice would you give to UO students as they’re trying to navigate the current non-traditional university experience? Please be sure to take care of yourself. Focus on what you need like getting good rest, eating well and exercising. There’s so much going on with family, friends, and distanced learning right now it’s so crucial to take a moment for a deep breath and realize tomorrow will be better. It’s across the board, and everyone is experiencing this right now.
Read the full interview at uoalumni.com/careerprofiles
SCENE ENGAGES IN
RACIAL JUSTICE Since the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement nationwide last year, Eugene has been incredibly active in the racial justice movement, especially in local arts and culture.
BY GRACE MURRAY • TWITTER @GRACIEE_MURRAYY The Black Lives Matter movement struck a widespread resurgence nationwide and ignited a huge response across Eugene, including within its local arts and culture scene. A wave of support towards BIPOC artists has begun across the city; racial justice themes have popped up in a variety of art mediums and many locals have shifted their focus to addressing these topics head-on in an artistic and creative way. BIPOC Artist Collective The BIPOC Artist Collective came together in June 2020 to bring support, networking and resources to Black, Indigenous and artists of color in Eugene. On Juneteenth last year, the group came together to paint a sprawling Black Lives Matter mural on the street in front of the Wayne L. Morse Courthouse downtown, which became a focal point in the local movement. Since the debut of its Facebook group in June, over 750 members have joined. Each week the discussion page fills with posts of new art opportunities, praise for local art and general support for the artists within the community. George Floyd and Breonna Taylor Mural A beautiful colorful mural depicting the faces of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, two Black people who were killed
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by police officers in 2020, popped up in October downtown near Broadway and Olive Street. The mural brings their faces to life in vibrant blues, purples and yellows with “We will always see you, we will always say your name” written across the top and bottom in large letters. The piece also lists the names of 13 other Black people who were killed by law enforcement officers, noting at the end of the list that there are many others. The mural was commissioned by local businesswoman Betty Snowden and painted by an anonymous artist along one of the walls of a building that she owns. Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art Black Lives Matter Artist Grant Program Jordan Schnitzer, president of the Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation, partnered up with the JSMA to develop an artist grant program last year. The grant is dedicated to supporting local artists who wish to develop art pieces in response to the Black Lives Matter movement. The JSMAs at the University of Oregon, Washington State University and Portland State University each selected 20 artists to award $2,500 grants to from across their states. The artists come from different backgrounds and will use a variety of art mediums to reflect on racial and social justice. All 60 artists were chosen and announced in late November.
A&C
In her debut novel, Kim Johnson writes about racial injustice within the criminal system. “This is my America” was published on July 28, 2020. (Madi Mather/Emerald)
“This Is My America” Kim Johnson, assistant vice provost for advising at the University of Oregon, released her debut novel, “This Is My America,” on July 28, 2020. The book investigates racial issues present in the justice system through the lens of 17-year-old Tracy Beaumont, who is fighting to save her innocent father, a Black man on death row, as well as help her brother who has been accused of murder. Through her journey she tackles the deep racism that plagues her town in a fight for her family’s innocence. Johnson captures injustice in America in a beautiful book geared toward educating young readers. While the racial justice movements in Eugene have stayed active into the new year, the arts and culture scene has thrived alongside it. There are many more opportunities on the horizon for artists and art enthusiasts locally to continue to advocate for racial justice through an arts and culture lens. The JSMA helped develop an art grant last year to supporting local artists developing pieces in response to the Black Lives Matter movement. (Kevin Wang/ Emerald)
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OPINION
GOODBYE PROFESSIONALISM, HELLO REALITY
Stevens: COVID-19 has brought about the timely death of professionalism. Though there might be some pushback, this change stands to benefit everyone. BY ANDY STEVENS • TWITTER @VNDREWWS
Lowering the barrier to entry for professional industries has no downsides, because it is not the qualifications that are changing, just the appearance.”
The University of Oregon Student Sustainability Center organizes a pop-up “Free Professional Clothing Store” in Tykeson Hall on Feb. 13, 2020, to make clothing that is suitable for internship and job interviews more accessible for students. (Marissa Willke/Emerald)
I’ve met more family members and pets of my professors this year than I ever did during in-person classes. It’s abnormal if at least one class a week isn’t interrupted by my professors’ personal life. I’ve come to like these interruptions, as they’re the closest thing to real interactions we have, and I get to know a little more about who’s teaching. It’s impossible to avoid these moments, even in a professional setting, so why fight it? COVID-19 has accelerated the decline of professionalism through remote working. And that’s a good thing. As people have become more aware of just how dirty most surfaces and people are, the age of handshakes has come to a close. What used to be a sign of respect is now seen as an ungodly exchange of germs. This is just the start of the many ways COVID-19 has changed our perspective on professionalism. Another obvious change comes in the form of attire. Most of the time, the only part of you that’s visible over a Zoom call is your head and torso, so there’s no need to worry about dress pants, much less, dress shoes. It can even eliminate the need for a nice watch. Not having to dress professionally decreases the cost of getting a job, and can make it easier for people with fewer advantages to get their foot in the door. This is one of the most important positive changes PA G E 1 0
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COVID-19 has brought about: accessibility of work. If you have WiFi and a computer with a camera and microphone, you can work anywhere in the world. Students who could not afford to move cities and buy new work clothes can now work those very same jobs from the comfort of their homes. Lowering the barrier to entry for professional industries has no downsides, because it is not the qualifications that are changing, just the appearance. Gone are the days of people being denied potential career-making jobs due not to their intellect or acumen, but to arbitrary standards of professionalism. The newest, and one of the most successful professional industries, tech, had already been working on this issue. During an interview on the BBC back in 2017, an interviewee was interrupted by their toddler and infant running in. While it came as quite a surprise and derailed the interview slightly, both the interviewer and interviewee laughed about it. This intrusion of real life seemed to bring both people into a more comfortable space. Another benefit from the death of professionalism is that people perform better. Researchers at the California Institute of Technology have proven that people remember things better when they’re relaxed, and they are less likely to make mistakes if they’re not
sweating bullets. Lastly and most importantly, it‘s good that professionalism is on the way out because our personal lives are much more valuable. Everyone is suffering in some way right now, so to pretend nothing is wrong at the cost of our mental and physical health is wrong. Personal well-being will always be more important than professional appearances. Over time hopefully professionalism will take less priority over our personal lives, and we can be humans before employees.
Andrew Stevens is a columnist for the Emerald’s opinion desk. He writes about student social issues and specializes in disliking the thing you like. Follow his Twitter @vndrewws
SPORTS
OREGON WOMEN’S TENNIS FALTERS IN SINGLES, LOSES 4-3 TO GONZAGA IN SEASON OPENER BY MOJO HILL • TWITTER @MOJOHILL22 The Oregon women’s tennis team played its first match in over 10 months on Saturday, visiting the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Despite a strong start in doubles, they fell 4-3 after lagging behind in singles. The Ducks are fielding a young team this year. Four of the six starters on doubles were freshmen, as well as four of the six on singles. The only upperclassman in the lineup was senior Rifanty Kahfiani, who played both doubles and singles. Kahfiani and freshman Uxia Martinez Moral won their doubles match 6-2 to start things off. Allison Mulville and Madisen Olsen lost theirs 2-6, so the doubles point came down to freshmen Lillian Mould and Janice Tjen. Mould and Tjen held a 5-3 lead with a chance to serve for the set, but Gonzaga broke back to get it to 5-4. Oregon responded with a break of their own to finish off the set, 6-4, securing the doubles point for the Ducks. Singles play got off to a rough
start for Oregon. Ares Teixido Garcia, Mulville and Mould all lost, and Gonzaga took a 3-1 lead in the match. The Ducks needed to win the three remaining singles matches. Tjen came away with her first collegiate singles win, 6-2, 7-6, to get the Ducks on the board in singles play. With Martinez Moral leading in her match, all eyes turned to the senior Kahfiani. Kahfiani lost the first set 2-6, and was down 1-4 in the second. She got back on serve though, coming just a point away from tying the set at 4-4, but lost the decisive deuce point to go down 3-5. She eventually lost the second set, 3-6, and Gonzaga clinched the match. Oregon fell to 0-1, while Gonzaga improved to 3-0. Next up, the Ducks will head back to Eugene and play five consecutive matches at home, with their next one scheduled for Feb. 5 against Portland State. Their conference play doesn’t open until March 5 at Arizona State.
Rifanty Kahfiani serves for the Ducks in a doubles match. Oregon Ducks women’s tennis takes on University of California at the Student Tennis Center in Eugene, Ore., on March 8, 2019. (Connor Cox/Emerald)
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