Beavers Win Eighth Straight with 1-0 Shutout of Huskies

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SEATTLE, Wash. - Freshman Jenna Richardson scored the game-winning goal for the second consecutive game as the 19th-ranked Beavers took down Pacific-10 rival Washington on a rainy Sunday afternoon in Seattle by a final score of 1-0.

“It was a good game in very difficult conditions,” Oregon State women’s soccer head coach Linus Rhode said following the match. “It was pouring and freezing all day but we made some adjustments to our game to deal with it.”

Richardson got the ball and had a one-on-one situation with the Husky goalkeeper Jorde Lafontain-Kussman and drove the ball in the back of the net nine minutes into the game for her sixth goal of the season. Her goal Sunday moves her into second place on the squad for goals scored this season just two back of sophomore Chelsea Buckland.

With the 1-0 lead, the Beavers (13-1-1 overall, 5-0-0 Pac-10) stayed aggressive throughout the rest of the first half compiling 10 shots in the first half alone. In a span of just under five minutes late in the first half, from 35:03 to 40:01, the Beavers racked up four shots on goal that were saved by the Husky keeper, all by different Oregon State shooters.

Senior Courtney Wetzel led the Beavers with six shots in the game with one of them coming on goal. Richardson had three shots with two coming on goal and her game-winning goal. The Beavers and Huskies ended the game with 15 shots a piece.

The Beavers defense stepped up again when it needed to, again only allowing two shots on goal. Oregon State keeper Colleen Boyd recorded just two saves in the match for her 11th shutout of the season. Her biggest save of the game came with 1:56 left in the match; Washington’s Sarah Martinez had a shot on goal which Boyd saved to keep the Beavers in the lead.

The Huskies drop to 10-6-1 overall this season and 3-3 in conference play with two weeks left in the regular season. Lafontaine-Kussman dropped to 7-6-1.

With the win Sunday, the Beavers are now 5-0 in conference play this season. It is the first time in program history that the Beavers have won more than four games in conference play. The win is the eighth straight win for the Beavers just one shy of the school record for consecutive games without a loss. It is also the sixth consecutive conference win dating back to last season which is a school record.

“We created a lot of chances in the first half but Washington picked up their pressure in the second half,” Rhode said. “It was a great way to finish off our road trip which is probably one of the toughest, travel wise, in the Pac-10. It shows a lot and how far our team has come this season.”

The Beavers return home for the final home stand of the regular season when they host Arizona State Friday night starting at 7 p.m. and Arizona on Sunday afternoon with kickoff scheduled for 12 p.m. Prior to Sunday’s match against Arizona, there will be special presentation honoring senior Courtney Wetzel who recorded her 70th career start Sunday against Washington.

Sports Release: RYAN McCALL www.osubeavers.com

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