Oregon State
11-6-2, 3-6-2
Oregon
5-9-5, 1-8-2
Leblic Scores, Beavers Defeat Ducks on Senior Night
November 07, 2019 | Women's Soccer
CORVALLIS – Senior Paula Leblic found the back of the net in the 87th minute of play to push Oregon State (11-6-2, 3-6-2) past Oregon (5-9-5, 1-8-2) for a Civil War victory on senior night at Lorenz Field.
"It was an awesome night for our team," said head coach Matt Kagan. "It was senior night, so I want to say thank you to them. They are a group that just wanted change when our staff arrived. I believe they were drivers of the change that happened this year, and I am appreciative of them.
As for the game, we battled for 90 minutes. I really felt that we deserved to win tonight. A goal was coming. I thought we should have had a penalty kick a minute before that, we didn't, but we stuck with it. Paula had a true moment of brilliance to push us ahead at the end."
Freshman Abby Schwartz was the first Beaver to get a shot attempt that was blocked in the 14th minute. Brianna McReynolds fielded the deflection and got her own shot off that went wide. Skylar Herrera got a shot attempt a few minutes later that also went wide.
Schwartz would get another shot attempt in the 30th minute after she fired a shot from the right corner of the penalty box that forced Oregon's goalkeeper to make a diving save to block in the lower left corner of the goal. Redshirt sophomore McKenzie Weinert fielded the save and got her own shot attempt that was blocked.
McReynolds had the closest chance of pushing OSU ahead in the first half after Weinert stole the ball from the Ducks and made a swift pass to Schwartz at midfield. Schwartz punched the ball through two defenders to find McReynolds in stride. McReynolds got a shot off, but Oregon's goalkeeper came out to challenge the shot and come away with a save at the 40 minute mark.
Sophomore Bridgette Skiba was challenged much as the Ducks only got four shot attempts that Skiba was able to make two easy saves on. The Beavers got nine shots in the first half, but both teams headed to halftime scoreless.
Freshman Brooke Mobeck got things going for Oregon State in the second half with a strong shot attempt from the left corner of the box that missed the far right side of the goal.
Weinert made her first of three consecutive runs at the goal in the 53rd following an OSU corner kick that placed Weinert in the mix of Duck defenders. Weinert ended up on the group following a shot from three feet out that missed the right corner of the goal.
Weinert made another attempt in the 67th minute after the ball gets through the back line of defense for Oregon but the Duck's keeper is able to slide and get her hands on the ball before Weinert can reach it. In the 77th minute, Weinert fielded a pass and raced down the right side of the box to get a shot off that was blocked by an Oregon defender.
Oregon State found a bit of luck in the 87th minute of play as Oregon was called for a hand ball inches outside the penalty box on the right side. Leblic lined up to take the free kick with her left foot and the shot found the far post to ricochet into the back of the net for the game-winning goal and her second goal of the season.
"It's hard to describe this moment," said Leblic. "From the first year to this moment, it all pays off. We deserve this as a team. This goal, on senior night, against Oregon, with a chance to make the Tournament means everything. What else could we ask for on our final night at Lorenz?"
Oregon State outshot the Ducks, 14-10. In goal, Skiba finished the match with five saves and her sixth solo-shutout of the season. With tonight's shutout, Skiba moves up OSU's Single Season records to be tied for fourth.
"I finished the night by telling the team when I look at what a NCAA Tournament team should look like, it was what was standing in front of me," continued Kagan. "We have no bad losses. We have top-50 results. We play in the best conference in American. I feel like this group deserves to play again."
Oregon State will now await the potential of a post-season appearance. The NCAA Selection Show is Monday, Nov. 11 at 1:30 p.m.
For more information on the Oregon State women's soccer team, visit OSUBeavers.com or follow the club @BeaverWSoccer on Twitter and Instagram.
OUR MISSION
Oregon State Athletics strives to Build Excellent Authentic Visionary Student-Athletes (Go BEAVS).
Team Stats
Paula Leblic (1)
GOAL by OSU Leblic, Paula.
86:07
