Beavers Head to Washington for Rivalry Match
October 15, 2015 | Men's Soccer
The Match: The Oregon State men's soccer team (7-4-1, 2-1-1 Pac-12) heads up to Seattle this weekend for a Sunday night matchup against No. 20 Washington (5-2-5, 1-1-2). The match will kick off at 5 p.m.
Follow Along: This weekend's match will be carried live on Pac-12 Network, Pac-12 Oregon and Pac-12 Washington. You can find live stats for Sunday's match on the men's soccer schedule page of OSUBeavers.com. For all things Oregon State men' soccer, follow @OSUBeavers_MSOC on Twitter.
The Series: Oregon State holds a 12-28-3 all-time record against Washington, including a 6-15-0 mark in games played in Seattle. The Beavers did, however, claim a pair of results against the Huskies last season, earning a draw in Corvallis and a win in Seattle.
Last season's road win over the Huskies came on a pair of spectacular goals. The first was a strike from distance by Devonte Small that struck the crossbar before finding the net. The second came on a marauding run forward from Khiry Shelton to secure the 2-0 win. The team's 2014 matchup in Corvallis was a spirited affair, which ended in a 1-1 draw. That match featured eight yellow cards and three red cards.
The Goal Bros: Sophomore forwards Timmy Mueller and Jordan Jones have proven to be a force up front early in their careers. The duo has combined to score 11 of Oregon State's 14 goals this season, including five game-winners. Jones found the net against Cal to help the Beavers earn a point on the road last week.
Atop the League: The Beavers head into this weekend tied with Stanford for first place in the Pac-12 Conference. The 2015 season marks the first time Oregon State has been atop the conference standings since it started the 2005 season with three-straight league wins.
Defensive Specialists: Oregon State has allowed just 12 goals in 12 matches this year, while holding six shutouts. The Beaver centerback pairing of Sam Tweeton and Jalen Markey has been dominant throughout the year, with the duo starting all 12 matches together. Sophomore goalkeeper Nolan Wirth has tallied three clean sheets after being named to the Pac-12 Preseason Team.
Here Comes Jaime: Senior Jaime Velasco scored his first goal with Oregon State against San Diego State two weeks ago, and then followed that up with another goal against Cal on Sunday. Prior to joining the Beavers as a transfer last year, Velasco made his mark as a member of the Portland Pilots, earning West Coast Conference All-Freshman honors in 2012, after scoring two goals in his debut campaign.
Big Time Timmy: Sophomore Timmy Mueller is already moving close to putting his name in the Oregon State history book. The Post Falls, Idaho, native has 17 career goals already, placing him just one short of the Beavers' career top-10. Mueller set the Oregon State record for goals as a freshman with 11 last year.
Best in Class: Strong academic performance has been an important part of the Oregon State men's soccer team. The Beaver squad features four players the recorded a GPA over 3.5 during spring quarter, including Graham Smith and Timmy Mueller with GPA's over 3.9.
Smith, a pre-business major, will look to maintain his stellar overall GPA of 3.96 this fall, when he takes four classes that all relate to economics. On Smith's slate this year will be: Financial Accounting, Legal Environment of Business, Business Process Management and Intro to Microeconomics. Mueller, also a pre-business major, will join Smith in Intro to Microeconomics.
Making a Difference: The Beavers have made a point to make an impact on the Corvallis community. The Oregon State squad volunteered at the CARDV Run in Corvallis on Mothers' Day, with the whole squad in attendance. CARDV, which stands for Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence, helps provide services and support to those affected by sexual or domestic violence, while providing education and leadership within the community to change the societal conditions that cultivate these forms of violence.
Beavers in the Pros: Oregon State has produced a number of outstanding professional players in recent seasons. Danny Mwanga was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 MLS Draft, before Khiry Shelton was selected second overall this year. Here is a list of current Beavers in the pros:
- Khiry Shelton - New York City FC
- Alan Gordon - LA Galaxy
- Robbie Findley - Toronto FC
- Danny Mwanga - Orlando City SC
- Will Seymore - Whitecaps FC 2 (USL Pro)
- Emery Welshman - Real Monarchs SC (USL Pro)
- Ryan Johnson - Seoul E-Land FC (K League Challenge - South Korea)
