Beavers Rout UAB 5-1 to Claim OSU Nike Invitational

Northern Colorado Also Wins.

Salem-News.com Sports

CORVALLIS - Sophomore midfielder Kelsey Provo scored her first two collegiate goals and junior forward Jodie Taylor had a goal and two assists to lead the Oregon State women’s soccer team to a 5-1 rout of UAB at the OSU Nike Invitational on Sunday at Lorenz Field. A late goal gave Northern Colorado a 1-0 win over Cal State Northridge in the day’s first game.

Though not a true tournament, Oregon State claimed first place in the 2006 Nike Invitational thanks to its two wins this weekend. Northern Colorado and Cal State Northridge both had a win and a loss, but UNC took second place due to today’s victory over CSUN. UAB finished with two losses and fourth place.

“It’s exciting to win our own tournament but I think the more exciting thing was the way we performed today by putting all the components together,” OSU Coach Steve Fennah said. “We didn’t defend very well last week, but we defended well today.

We passed the ball well today, which we also did Friday. But today we also scored some goals, and we could have had a few more.”

It was the most goals that the Beavers (2-1-1) have scored in a game since netting five against Arizona in October 2002.

OSU started five freshmen, and two of them scored early goals for the Beavers. In the 13th minute, sophomore midfielder Jetta Sadusky (Littleton, Colo./Columbine HS/Nebraska) crossed a ball from the far right side.

Freshman midfielder Naj Homidi (Fremont, Calif./Washington HS), all 5-foot-4 of her, jumped up and won the header, and placed it perfectly into the upper right hand corner for her first collegiate goal.

On the Beavers’ second goal in the 26th minute, Taylor (Merseyside, England) dribbled upfield and did a good job to spot freshman forward Jessica Velazquez (Diamond Bar, Calif./Diamond Bar HS) wide open on the left-hand side.

Velazquez took the ball, cut back toward the middle past a UAB defender, and shot the ball inside the right post for her second goal of the weekend. Velazquez, who scored OSU’s goal in Friday’s 1-0 win over Northern Colorado, was named Offensive MVP of the event.

Freshman midfielder Melissa Peck (Boise, Idaho/Borah HS) had two opportunities to score a goal in the first half, and the second one led to an OSU goal. In the 24th minute, she hit the crossbar on a shot from 24 yards away.

Then, in the 36th minute, she ripped another hard shot, and it was deflected in by Provo (Eugene, Ore/Sheldon HS) from a few yards out, giving the Beavers a 3-0 lead.

The Beavers made it 4-0 in the 67th minute as Taylor made a run with the ball down the right side, then crossed into the middle for a wide-open Provo, who one-timed it home for her second goal of the day.

Taylor seemed set to score on a breakaway in the 71st minute, but UAB goalkeeper Julie McFarlane came out and tripped Taylor right at the top of the box before she could shoot. McFarlane was red carded and the Beavers had an 11-on-10 advantage the rest of the way.

Advantage or not, UAB (0-3) scored its goal in the 84th minute. OSU redshirt freshman goalkeeper Ashley Wood (Corvallis, Ore./Corvallis HS), who came off the bench in the 76th minute, made a great save on a shot by Toni Gockel, but UAB’s Leigh Burton was right there to score on the rebound.

OSU scored its final goal in a similar fashion in the 87th minute. Peck had a hard shot saved by the UAB goalkeeper, and the rebound fell to the feet of Taylor, who scored easily to provide the final margin.

It was Taylor’s first of the season and the 26th of her career, moving her into a tie for third on OSU’s all-time list. Peck earned her second assist of the game.

The Beavers host another four-team event next weekend (Sept. 8 and 10), the OSU Soccer Classic, with Oregon, New Hampshire and Iona also participating.

Northern Colorado (2-1) won the first game despite being outshot 17-5 by Cal State Northridge (2-2). In the 87th minute, UNC goalkeeper Chrissy Marvin punted a long ball upfield, and Teresa Prais outfought a defender to win the ball at the top of the box. She dribbled in once, then poked it past CSUN’s outrushing goalkeeper for the game-winner.

Prior to that, the post and crossbar had received the most action. The Matadors’ Jessy Borges hit the left post on a one-time attempt in the 12th minute following a deflected free kick.

Northern Colorado’s Prais got past the goalkeeper in the 47th minute, but had a difficult angle and hit the right post. In the 73rd minute, CSUN’s Kristal Phillips forced UNC’s Marvin to make a diving save on a hard shot, and although CSUN’s Susie Mischenko was first to the rebound, her shot went off the right post.

Finally, in the 80th minute, the Matadors’ Rachel Gillis headed the ball off the crossbar on a corner kick.

Marvin, the all-tournament goalkeeper, made seven saves to help preserve the shutout for UNC.

Nike Invitational Offensive MVP: Jessica Velazquez (Oregon State)

Nike Invitational Defensive MVP: Red Nixon (Oregon State)

Nike Invitational All-Tournament Team: Nixon, Velazquez, Nalena Betancourt (Cal State Northridge), Ashley Brumback (Northern Colorado), Rachel Gillis (Cal State Northridge), Naj Homidi (Oregon State), Chrissy Marvin (Northern Colorado) Melissa Peck (Oregon State), Jill Porto (UAB), Teresa Prais (Northern Colorado), Kelsey Provo (Oregon State), Jodie Taylor (Oregon State).

OSU 3-2---5 (2-1-1)

UAB 0-1---1 (0-3)

Goals: Naj Homidi (Jetta Sadusky), OSU, 12:44; Jessica Velazquez (Jodie Taylor), OSU, 25:55; Kelsey Provo (Melissa Peck), OSU, 35:43; Kelsey Provo (Jodie Taylor), OSU, 66:45; Leigh Burton (Toni Gockel), UAB, 83:48; Jodie Taylor (Melissa Peck), OSU, 86:05.

Shots: OSU 18, UAB 14

Corner Kicks: OSU 6, UAB 3

Fouls: OSU 13, UAB 12

Saves: OSU 7, UAB 6

CSUN 0-0---0 (2-2)

UNC 0-1---1 (2-1)

Goals: Teresa Prais (Chrissy Marvin), UNC, 86:33.

Shots: CSUN 17, UNC 5

Corner Kicks: CSUN 4, UNC 4

Fouls: CSUN 13, UNC 11

Saves: CSUN 1, UNC 7

Adding comments to these stories has been disabled. View the current sports stories Salem-News Sports