Beavers squander early lead to remain winless in Pac-12 play

The Oregon State men’s soccer team fell 2-1 in extra time to their northwest rivals University of Washington on Friday night. Goals from Washington seniors Steven Wright and Mason Robertson were enough to overcome OSU sophomore Don Tchilao’s first half strike and send the Huskies home with the three points.

The Beavers (4-6-3, 0-2-3 Pac-12) entered the game having earned just two points from their opening four conference games; and coming up short in another close match will undoubtedly leave the team frustrated as they continue to chase their first conference win this season.

For the majority of the game, the Beavers ceded possession to their opponents and sought to create chances on the counterattack. The pace of starting wingers Tchilao and senior Devonte Small caused plenty of trouble for the Huskies, whose outside backs pushed high up the field when in possession. This left Tchilao and Small plenty of room to run into on the flanks whenever Washington turned the ball over.

Small was able to cause the Washington back line problems on multiple occasions in the opening half—his best chance coming in the 27th minute when he made a lung-busting dribble up the left-hand side and fired a dangerous ball into the box. The cross drifted just over the head of OSU’s junior forward Timmy Mueller and narrowly wide of the far post.

The Beavers would not have to wait long for their next opportunity, as a corner kick from the Huskies turned quickly into a counterattack for the hosts. Beavers’ goalkeeper, redshirt sophomore Ryan Vincent, punched the corner clear; and Washington sophomore Corban Anderson’s follow-up shot was blocked, setting Tchilao loose on the break. The pacy winger showed great composure to beat his defender, win a challenge with the Huskies goalkeeper 40 yards out, and fire from distance into an empty net.

“I just kept running. I saw the outside back going with me so I just kept running,” Tchilao said of the goal.

“I got the ball past him, then I saw the keeper come out and I poked it right through his legs. After that I saw the open goal and I got a little nervous… but I just stayed composed and passed it in.”

The Beavers entered the halftime break with a goal advantage, looking like the more threatening team despite seeing less of the ball.

The visitors received a stroke of luck to start the second half when they were awarded a penalty kick in the 47th minute. Mueller’s challenge in the penalty area was judged to be illegal and Washington midfielder Steven Wright slotted his spot-kick home coolly to level the score.

A torrential rain set in for much of the second half, causing problems in possession for both teams. Clear-cut chances were few and far between for either side. The Huskies again dominated possession—at times pinning the Beavers in their own half—but they were unable to produce a winner in regulation.

Washington dictated proceedings, giving the Beavers’ defense plenty to do. The golden goal came in the 102nd minute, when Washington forward Mason Robertson found himself with space in the middle of the Beavers’ penalty area and fired home from 10 yards.

The loss means the Beavers will have just five more games to gain the points that they desperately need if they hope to qualify for postseason play.

“There’s been a lot of disappointing losses. We’ve been so close to winning so many games,” said Tchilao. “We need to keep grinding, we can’t put our heads down.”

The Beavers will have six days to regroup before they start the second half of Pac-12 games at Stanford on Thursday, October 20th.