Beavers, Pilots Ready For Friday Night Showdown

OSU Weekly Women’s Soccer Digest.

Photo courtesy: OSU

CORVALLIS - LOOKING AHEAD — The Oregon State women’s soccer team, riding one of the hottest offensive streaks in school history as well as having posted four consecutive wins, has its toughest non-conference test of the season as the defending NCAA champion, Portland, visits Corvallis on Friday.

Oregon State is (4-1-1) while Portland is (3-2-1). Game begins at 7:00 PM.

RANKINGS — Portland is ranked #6 nationally by Soccer Buzz and #8 by the NSCAA, Soccer America and Soccer Times ... In the Soccer Buzz West Region poll, the Pilots are #3 and the Beavers are tied for #15.

SCOUTING PORTLAND — The Beavers are 1-19 all-time against the Pilots and have lost nine straight since winning in Corvallis in 1994, 3-2. Last year, OSU gave Portland one of its closest scorelines of the season, as the Pilots needed overtime before prevailing by a 2-1 score. Jodie Taylor has scored goals against UP in each of the last two years. The Pilots went undefeated (23-0-2) en route to the national championship last year and return eight starters. UP’s two losses this year were to top five teams Florida State and North Carolina, and the tie was to then-#11 Florida. Sophomore midfielder/forward Megan Rapinoe has eight goals and two assists in six games.

STEVE FENNAH SAYS — “Obviously Portland is a very big game for us every year. It’s a program that has a tremendous tradition of success, is very well-coached and has great players. They play an attractive style of soccer that everyone admires. We want to compete against them the best we can every time we meet, and this weekend is another opportunity to see where we are against them.”

LAST WEEK — The Beavers defeated both Iona and New Hampshire by 4-0 scores and took first place in their own OSU Soccer Classic, presented by Tursi’s Soccer. OSU and Oregon each won two games, but the Beavers had a superior goal differential (+8 to +2). Offensive MVP Jodie Taylor had a total of three goals and three assists, while Jessica Velazquez had two goals and two assists. Julie Arredondo, Sophie Clough and Red Nixon each scored their first collegiate goals. In both games, OSU took 1-0 leads at halftime and scored three goals after the break.

ON A ROLL — The Beavers have scored 13 goals in the last three games. That’s the most over a three-game stretch since 1989, when OSU also scored 13 in three games .... With five goals against UAB on Sept. 3rd followed by four goals against Iona on Sept. 8, OSU scored as many as nine goals in two games for the first time since 1994.

MORE OFFENSIVE NUMBERS — Through six games, the Beavers are averaging 2.67 goals per game, which if it keeps up, would be quite an improvement over last year’s 1.26 goals per game. OSU brought in several attack-minded freshmen to improve the offense, and they have done well, scoring eight of the 16 goals and providing five of the 14 assists. Nine different players have already scored a goal (only five players scored a goal all last year).

DEFENSIVE NUMBERS — OSU’s defense has been exceptional thus far, with a 0.64 goals-against average (four goals allowed in six games) and three shutouts. For much of the early season, OSU was without its two primary center backs. The Beavers already knew that they would be without Alison Vislay, who suffered a knee injury in the spring. But they also lost Monica Storm for 2 1/2 games after she suffered a concussion in the season opener against Gonzaga (she returned for the UAB game).

RECORDS WATCH — Jodie Taylor is working her way up several career records lists. She has career totals of 29 goals (third), 72 points (third), 12 game-winning goals (second) and 14 assists (tied for seventh). She needs two goals to tie for second and five to tie for first all-time at OSU. She needs 12 points to tie for second and 13 to tie for first. She needs one game-winning goal to move into a tie for first. She needs two assists to move into the top five .... Taylor’s six assists this season are already tied for sixth on OSU’s single-season list ... With each shutout, Melissa Onstad extends her own school record, which currently stands at 22 solo shutouts.

PAC-10 STATS — It’s early in the season, but Oregon State is the leader in every notable offensive category in the Pac-10: shots (17.0 per game), points (7.67 per game), goals (2.67 per game), assists (2.33 per game, tied with USC) and corner kicks (5.67 per game, tied with Washington State). Individually, Jodie Taylor and Jessica Velazquez are tops with four goals each, while Taylor is also first in shots (26), points (14) and assists (six).

2006 HONORS — Najma Homidi, Red Nixon and Jodie Taylor were named to the WSU Cougar Classic all-tournament team ... Jessica Velazquez was named Offensive MVP and Nixon was named Defensive MVP of the OSU Nike Invitational. They were joined on the all-tournament team by Homidi, Taylor, Melissa Peck and Kelsey Provo ... Taylor was the Offensive MVP of the OSU Soccer Classic and Monica Storm was the Defensive MVP. They were joined on the all-tournament team by Velazquez, Sophie Clough and Melissa Onstad.

JODIE TAYLOR — Junior forward Jodie Taylor (Merseyside, England) is well on her way to becoming OSU’s most prolific player ever. This season, she has four goals and six assists for a team-high 14 points. At one point this season, she had a goal or an assist on eight straight Beaver goals. She has had a hand in 10 of OSU’s 16 goals this season. Taylor already ranks second in school history in game-winning goals (12) and is third in goals (29) and points (72) and tied for seventh in assists (14). When she scores a goal, OSU’s record is 16-6, and when she scores a point, OSU’s record is 21-6-1. She has been named to three all-tournament teams in 2006. Taylor is a two-time All-Pac-10 first team selection (the only player ever to earn that honor twice at Oregon State) and a two-time All-West Region selection, in addition to being named a 2004 Freshman All-American and the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year. She is also a member of England’s U-21 National Team, and played this summer with the Boston Renegades in the W-League.

NEW STARLETS — Several true freshmen are seeing extensive playing time this year and have played a big part in OSU’s early-season success. Some of the more prominent ones are defender Sophie Clough (Ashton-under-Lyne, England), forward Emily Henshaw (Hillsboro, Ore./Jesuit HS), midfielder Najma Homidi (Fremont, Calif,/Washington HS), defender/midfielder Loretta “Red” Nixon (Centennial, Colo./Heritage HS), midfielder Melissa Peck (Boise, Idaho/Borah HS) and forward Jessica Velazquez (Diamond Bar, Calif./Diamond Bar HS). Clough has started all six games on the back line and scored a goal against New Hampshire. Homidi scored her first goal on a header against UAB and has made two all-tournament teams. Nixon has started all six games, was the Defensive MVP of the OSU Nike Invitational and has made two all-tournament teams. Peck scored the Beavers’ goal against UNLV and had two assists against UAB. Velazquez had the game-winning goal in back-to-back games against Northern Colorado and UAB and was the Offensive MVP of the OSU Nike Invitational, then had goals in the next two games. She is one of only seven OSU players ever to score a goal in four consecutive games.

MELISSA ONSTAD — Senior Melissa Onstad (Castro Valley, Calif./Castro Valley HS) already holds most of OSU’s goalkeeping records and will be looking to add to her legacy. A four-year starter and a co-captain, she enters the season as the school’s all-time leader in goals-against average (1.09). Her 22 solo shutouts are also a school record. In 2006, she has a 0.50 goals-against average and 20 saves in six starts.

RETURNING DEFENDERS — The Beavers tied a school record by surrendering only 22 goals last season. All of the starters are back, but unfortunately, senior co-captain Alison Vislay (Mission Viejo, Calif./Capistrano Valley HS) will likely miss the season due to a knee injury suffered in the spring. Still, OSU boasts a formidable back line with the other returning starters: junior Monica Storm (Chino, Calif./Ayala HS), a former U.S. youth national team member; senior Lauren Wippel (Wilsonville, Ore./Wilsonville HS) and sophomore McKenna Martindale (Lake Oswego, Ore./Lake Oswego HS).

RETURNING ATTACKERS — Junior Whitney Goodell (Concord, Calif./College Park HS) has seen a great deal of time with Taylor up front. She began 2006 with a goal against Gonzaga. However, she broke a foot against UAB and is out for approximately six weeks. Junior Jetta Sadusky (Littleton, Colo./Columbine HS) did very well after transferring in last year from Nebraska, and she has three assists this season. The Beavers boast two four-year players in the central midfield in seniors Jen Crump (Santa Maria, Calif./Ernest Righetti HS) and Kelli Washburn (Santa Barbara, Calif./San Marcos HS). Sophomore Kelsey Provo (Eugene, Ore./Sheldon HS) scored the first two goals of her career against UAB.

EXPERIENCE — Nine of last year’s 11 starters have returned (although one is injured), and 13 letterwinners are back off of last year’s team that went 10-8-1 overall and 3-5-1 in the Pac-10 for eighth place. Returning players accounted for 83% of last year’s goals, as well as 73% of the assists and 80% of the points. There are 10 newcomers on the 25-woman roster.

2006 SCHEDULE — Both the 2005 national champion (Portland) and runner-up (UCLA) make visits to Corvallis, highlighting the 2006 schedule. In addition to Portland, OSU has already faced 2005 NCAA Tournament teams UNLV and Gonzaga in non-conference play. The Beavers hosted two four-team events (the OSU Nike Invitational and the OSU Soccer Classic) on Sept. 1-3 and Sept. 8-10. The always-tough Pac-10 season features five NCAA Tournament teams (Arizona, California, Stanford, USC and UCLA).

HEAD COACH STEVE FENNAH — Ninth-year head coach Steve Fennah became the school’s all-time winningest coach in 2004. He’s led OSU to three 10-win seasons in the last five years, and the Beavers achieved their first national ranking in a decade in 2005. Fennah, a native of Wales, has had 58 Pac-10 All-Academic selections in his first eight years.

LORENZ FIELD AT VALLEY STADIUM — OSU’s home since 1996, Lorenz Field at Valley Stadium is one of the nicest fields on the West Coast. It seats 1,500 fans and has an enclosed press box on the west sideline. Lights have been added in 2006, giving more fans the opportunity to attend night games. The Beavers are 49-49-3 playing on Lorenz Field, and are 16-5-1 since the start of the 2004 season. There is no charge for admission to OSU soccer games.

SUMMER STANDOUTS — Jodie Taylor joined up with the English U-21 National Team a couple of times, and took part in the Nordic Cup in July. She also played for the Boston Renegades in the W-League. ... Jetta Sadusky helped the Colorado Rush win the U-19 club national championship.

A BAD DAY — Freshman defender Sophie Clough’s flight from England to the United States to join up with the Beavers was scheduled the day that the London airline terror plot was foiled in early August; the airline lost some of her baggage and she went through long delays.

PAC-10 POLL — The Beavers were picked to finish in a tie for sixth in the Pac-10 preseason coaches’ poll. The predicted order of finish was: UCLA, California, Stanford, USC, Arizona, Oregon State and Washington State (tied), Arizona State, Washington, Oregon.

UP NEXT — The Beavers make a three-game road trip to the East Coast, where they’ll play St. John’s (Tuesday, Sept. 19th), Long Island (Friday, Sept. 22nd) and Army (Sunday, Sept. 24th).

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