The Oregon State Beavers kicked off their season with a strong performance, edging out the UC Irvine Anteaters 2-1 at Paul Lorenz Field on Thursday night.

From the opening whistle, the Beavers controlled the play, pushing the action into the Anteaters’ half for the majority of the first period. Although the scoreboard remained blank at halftime, Oregon State made their presence felt with a relentless offensive assault, firing off 10 shots on goal compared to UC Irvine’s 0.

Ellis Spikner, who scored the first goal of the season just before the 57th minute, shared his thoughts on the match:

“It feels great. I think it’s a goal that we all as a team were fighting for in the first half. It’s great to finally feel that sense of relief. It’s been a long preseason, so getting this win feels even better.”

The Beavers continued their aggressive play, with Spikner noting, “We want to pressure, we want to be aggressive, we always want to keep our foot on the gas, and I think we did well tonight.”

Pere Belmonte extended the lead with a clinical finish in the 83rd minute. However, the Anteaters showed resilience, shooting one back in the 85th minute and briefly shifting the momentum in their favor.

Despite the late surge from UC Irvine, the Beavers held firm, tightening their defense and managing the clock effectively. 

“There’s a lot of stuff we work on every day. There were some good executions and moments tonight, but there’s still a lot to improve. It’s early in the season, but I think there’s a lot we can be proud of tonight.” Spikner said.

The Beavers secured a 2-1 win to start the season, establishing momentum for their upcoming away game at the University of Michigan on August 30.