Two OSU Soccer Players Set for Nordic Cup

The six-team Nordic Cup, held in Vassa, Finland, consists of the U-23 national teams from England, Finland, Germany, Norway, Sweden and the United States.

Photo: OSU Athletics

CORVALLIS, Ore. - Two Oregon State women’s soccer players will advance their international careers this week at the Nordic Cup, one of the top tournaments held each summer in Northern Europe.

Jodie Taylor, a senior who is about to become OSU’s all-time leading scorer, and Rachael Axon, an incoming transfer, have been called up to England’s U-23 National Team for the event.

The six-team Nordic Cup, held in Vassa, Finland, consists of the U-23 national teams from England, Finland, Germany, Norway, Sweden and the United States.

England will meet Finland on Wednesday (July 18), followed by a game against Germany on Friday (July 20).

A final match against a yet-to-be determined team will be next Monday (July 24).

Taylor played for England’s U-21 National Team at the 2006 Nordic Cup and scored a goal against Finland in group play.

Axon is also a veteran of England’s youth national teams and was part of the third-place team at the 2005 U-21 Nordic Cup.

Taylor and Axon will be match fit for the tournament, as they’ve both been playing for the Ottawa Fury in the USL W-League.

The duo will miss Ottawa’s final four regular-season games but will return in time for the W-League playoffs.

Ottawa leads the Northern Division with an undefeated 9-0-1 record.

Taylor had tallied a team-high seven goals in her first five games, while Axon had been on the scoreboard once in eight games.

Taylor (Merseyside, England), a senior forward, is a three-time all-region and All-Pac-10 first team selection at Oregon State.

On OSU’s all-time lists, she stands first in game-winning goals (14), first in shots (189), second in goals (33), third in points (81) and seventh in assists (15).

Axon (London, England), a defender/midfielder, was a key part of a 2006 UAB squad that won the Conference USA Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.

She earned several awards, including All-Conference USA second team, Conference USA All-Freshman first team, Conference USA All-Tournament Team and UAB’s co-MVP honors. She will be a sophomore this fall for OSU.

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