Oregon State
Arizona State
Ingalls Gives No. 15 Beavers Historic 1-0 Victory
October 29, 2010 | Women's Soccer
Oct. 29, 2010
Corvallis, Ore. - Melinda Ingalls scored the game-winning goal in the first half and the defense did the rest as the No. 15 (NSCAA) Oregon State women's soccer team defeated Arizona State Friday night at Paul Lorenz Field by a final score of 1-0 in front of a season high home crowd of 927.
"I give credit to (Arizona State head coach) Kevin Boyd and their team, they really came out with a good game plan," Oregon State women's soccer head coach Linus Rhode said following the match. "In the second half I felt things changed a little bit. We created some good chances; it was a game of two halves. The first half we were under pressure but in the second half we turned it around and had them up against the wall."
The win Friday night marked several key milestones for the women's soccer program. It marked its 200th overall win in the 23rd year of the program, it was the 14th win of the season which is tied for the most wins in a season with three games yet to be played and it ties the longest unbeaten streak in program history at nine.
Arizona State went on the attack from the beginning of the game and racked up seven shots in the first half with five of them coming on goal. That all turned around in the 44th minute when Justyne Freud set up a free kick from beyond the midfield line. She boomed the ball all the way into the six yard box where Ingalls out-jumped everyone around her to get her head on the ball and redirect it past the Sun Devil keeper Alyssa Gillmore into the back of the net. It was Ingalls sixth goal of the season and her first since she and Freud connected on another set play against Utah. It is Freud's fourth assist of the season.
With the 1-0 lead coming out of halftime, the Beavers (14-1-1 overall, 6-0-0 Pacific-10 Conference) went on the offensive. They compiled 10 total shots in the second half but were unable to net another goal.
The Sun Devils (8-5-3, 2-3-1) had some chances late in the match to tie it but the Beavers defense clamped down and thwarted any attempts to score. Ashley Seal made one of the best plays of the night, late in the second half, when she sprinted from across the field to cut off a pass to a Sun Devil forward who would have been on-on-one with Oregon State keeper Colleen Boyd at the top of the 19 yard box and then cleared the ball to the cheers of the crowd.
Even with the superb play by the Oregon State back line, Boyd had a season high seven saves in the match, five coming in the first half alone. The 1-0 shutout of the Sun Devils was the 12th shutout on the season for Boyd which is a school record. It is also the third straight game and the fifth out of the last seven in which the Beavers won by a final score of 1-0.
"Tonight you saw Colleen (Boyd) have to work a little bit more than in other games," Rhode said. "We were very organized with our back four and our midfielders. Obviously Colleen in the goal provides a lot of confidence. They are very good defenders and they are smart and know when to clear the ball. We made good decisions across the board tonight."
Boyd set the school record for consecutive scoreless minutes earlier this season with 531 minutes, 51 seconds going back to last season. With shutouts in each of the past five games, Boyd is 44 minutes away from tying her record.
The Beavers are next on the pitch Sunday when they host Arizona in the final regular season home match of the season. Prior to the scheduled 12 p.m. kickoff, the Oregon State women's soccer team will be honoring senior Courtney Wetzel who will be playing her final game at Paul Lorenz Field.
Support Oregon State University Athletics by making your tax deductible donation to the Beaver Athletic Student Fund. For more information follow this "Everyday Champion" Follow Beaver Athletics on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
