Beavers Open Pac-12 Play With UCLA
September 29, 2015 | Men's Soccer
The Match: The No. 19/RV Oregon State men's soccer team (5-3-0) opens Pac-12 play this week with home matches against UCLA (4-4-0) and San Diego State (5-1-2). The Beavers will take on the Bruins at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, before hosting the Aztecs on Sunday. Both games will begin at 1:30 p.m. PT.
Follow Along: Friday's match will be carried live on the Pac-12 Network and on Pac-12 Oregon. Christian Miles and Cobi Jones will have the call. You can also find live stats on the men's soccer schedule page of OSUBeavers.com. Twitter updates for all games this season can be found @OSUBeavers_MSOC.
The Series: The Beavers head into this weekend looking to snap a streak of 19 consecutive matches against the Bruins without a win. Oregon State last topped UCLA on Oct. 9, 2005, when OSU took a 1-0 win over the then-12th ranked Bruins.
The Beavers have historically fared well agains the Aztecs, holding an 11-9-3 advantage in the all-time series and a 6-3-2 edge in matches played at Paul Lorenz Field.
National Rankings: Oregon State comes in at No. 19 in this week's Top Drawer Soccer rankings. The Beavers have been ranked as high as No. 6 this season by TDS, and No. 8 by the coaches.
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 nine of Oregon State's 10 goals this season, including four game-winners. Jones found the net at Gonzaga last Tuesday, and Mueller scored against Seattle U on Sunday.
Fortress Paul Lorenz: Sunday's loss to Seattle U snapped a streak of 20 consecutive non-conference home wins for the Beavers. Prior to last weekend, Oregon State had not lost a non-league home game since Sept. 25, 2011.
Defensive Specialists: Oregon State has allowed just seven goals in eight matches this year, while holding four shutouts. The Beaver centerback pairing of Sam Tweeton and Jalen Markey has been dominant throughout the year, with the duo starting all eight matches together. Sophomore goalkeeper Nolan Wirth has tallied three clean sheets after being named to the Pac-12 Preseason Team.
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 16 career goals already, placing him just two 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.
One for the Books: Oregon State's 2014 season was one of the best in school history. The Beavers earned their first ever NCAA Tournament win, a 1-0 triumph over Denver, after making the postseason for the first time since 2003. Then senior Khiry Shelton was named Pac-12 Player of the Year along the way, and the team spent much of the year in the national rankings.
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)
