Oregon State Men's Soccer Weekly Recap: Beavers Fall to 2-2-1 After Frustrating Loss to UC Davis
The Oregon State Men's Soccer team only had one game in their third week of play, but it would end up being one of the most frustrating of the season. The Beavers lost at home to the UC Davis Aggies 2-1, dropping them to 2-2-1 on the season.
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The game started well enough for the Beavers. Oregon State controlled possession for the first 15 minutes of the game, and a couple of early shots eventually gave way to a goal in the 15th minute. Fabian Straudi got the ball to Ellis Spikner right at the goal line, and Spikner slipped the ball past a pair of UCD defenders to Sergi Solans, who put the ball in in the bottom right corner of the goal.
Fabulous build up from Straudi and Spikner to set up Solans for the finish!#GoBeavs pic.twitter.com/nOGmiRxflP
— Oregon State Men's Soccer (@BeaverMSoccer) September 8, 2024
It was a beautiful play, but it was also the high point of the game for Oregon State. The Beavers continued to press the attack, with Straudi, Spikner and Solans each registering a shot, but nothing landed on target. Late in the first half, the Aggies tied the game with a goal from Cason Goodman, and momentum began to shift.
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After outshooting UC Davis 10-5 in the first half, the Beavers were on the backfoot in the second. the Aggies outshot Oregon State by a slim amount, 7 to 6, but OSU mistakes and miscues cost the Beavers some opportunities. Several offsides penalties ending promising possessions, and a more foul heavy game meant OSU struggled to capitalize on their superior speed.
UC Davis broke the stalemate in the 86th minute with a Zachary Neuls goal. Oregon State managed a few desperate shots, trying to find an equalizer, but Fabian Straudi and Dante Williams attempts were off target, and the Aggies held on for the win.
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It's a tough loss to swallow. The Aggies are a decent team, and you can never count out anything happening on a soccer pitch, but its hard not to feel that this is a game the Beavers should have performed better in. The schedule does not get any easier from this point. Next Sunday the 3-2-1 San Diego State Aztecs are coming to Paul Lorenz Field, and Oregon State has a lot they need to work on before the season starts slipping away.
JOHN SEVERS
Having grown up in Pocatello, home of the Idaho State Bengals, John Severs is a lifelong fan of small schools that don't always deliver a lot of wins. Prior to writing for Sports Illustrated, John covered the Beavers for SB Nation's Oregon State blog Building the Dam, with a focus on baseball and women's basketball. When he's not watching college sports he spends most of his time reading, playing video games and annoying cats.