Oregon State
Ohio State
Women's Soccer Rolls past Ohio State to Advance in NCAA Tournament
November 13, 2009 | Women's Soccer
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Junior Courtney Wetzel scored two goals as the Oregon State women's soccer team captured its first ever NCAA Women's Soccer Championship win with a 3-1 victory over No. 15 Ohio State University at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium Friday night in front of a crowd of 1,084.
"It is just an amazing feeling to get this win for me, my staff, and the team," women's soccer head coach Linus Rhode said following the victory. "We're making a lot of huge strides and we're at the point where we just want to get another win."
The Beavers (13-7-1 overall) came out and dominated the entire game by controlling the ball and making the extra pass to the open player. They are now 13-0-1 when scoring at least one goal this season.
"The girls came out and played a great game," Rhode said. "They kept and took care of the ball and we really did control most of the game. They kept their heads in the game and stuck to the game plan."
The first goal of the game came in the 20th minute on an Oregon State own goal, giving the Buckeyes a 1-0 lead. An Oregon State defender was trying to clear the ball right in front of the Beaver goal and inadvertently knocked the ball in as the Buckeyes grabbed the early lead.
It would be all Oregon State the rest of the way; however, as the Beavers rallied back quickly following the own goal when Courtney Wetzel scored her third goal of the season on an indirect kick just beyond the goalie box to knot the score.
With 10 minutes left in the first half, Courtney Jenkins blasted a shot towards Oregon State goalkeeper Colleen Boyd, who had a tremendous diving save to her left to preserve the tie.
The Beavers would then take the lead as Melissa Peck scored her sixth goal of the year on a right to left shot past the diving Buckeye goalie. Rachel Axon assisted on the goal as Oregon State would carry a 2-1 lead into the half.
Oregon State added an insurance goal in the 60th minute on a corner kick goal from Wetzel that went just inside the right post and past the keeper for her second goal of the game and her fourth of the season.
The Beavers had a scare with 12:45 left in the match when Ohio State had an advantage with the ball going towards the Oregon State goalie, but Boyd came out and deflected the ball away from the forward and then fell on the ground to control the ball.
Ohio State would not threaten the rest of the way as the Beavers became the first team to defeat the Buckeyes at home this season.
Oregon State will now face off with Florida Sunday, Nov. 15 at 1 p.m. EST in the second round of the 2009 NCAA women's soccer tournament. Florida defeated Illinois State earlier in the day 2-0.
"One of the things that we can expect from Florida is that it is going to be a physical game," Rhode said. "The girls will take away from this game that they can win at this level. Winning tonight 3-1 is a big margin for soccer, so they have the confidence going into Sunday."
