
Beavers Head to Bay Area for Matchup With San Francisco
August 31, 2017 | Women's Soccer
Sunday - 1 p.m. - San Francisco, Calif.
THE GAMES: The Oregon State women's soccer team hits the road this week, as the Beavers head to the Bay Area for a Sunday matchup with San Francisco. The game will kick off at 1 p.m.
FOLLOW ALONG: Sunday's game will be streamed live online. A link to the feed can be found at OSUBeavers.com. Twitter updates for all Oregon State soccer games can be found online at @BeaverWSoccer.
WHAT'S COMING UP: Oregon State returns home next week for a home game vs. Portland State on Friday. The Beavers will follow that up by hosting BYU on Monday, Sept. 11.
HISTORY WITH THE DONS: Oregon State is 5-3-0 all-time vs. San Francisco, and 1-2-0 in road matches vs. the Dons. The Beavers last took on USF on Aug. 30, 2015, earning a 2-1 overtime win. Natalie Higgins scored the game-winning goal in that contest, finding the net with a 25-yard shot in the 100th minute.
Streaking:
- The Beavers have allowed just three goals over their last six matches, dating back to last season. Four of those six games have been shutouts.
- Oregon State is 4-2-3 in nonconference road games dating back to the start of the 2015 season.
- The Beavers are 4-1-1 in their last six matchups with WCC opponents.
Quick Hitters:
- Oregon State has shown continuous improvement over the last three seasons, increasing its win-total markedly over the last two years.
- The team brings back two of its top three goal scorers from last season (Faris - 6, Higgins - 4), as well as three of its top four leaders in assists (Faris - 6, Jones - 5, Higgins - 3). Higgins and Jones have both found the net already in 2017.
- Oregon State scored 21 goals last season, its highest total since 2012.
- The Beavers committed the most fouls per-game in the Pac-12 last season, with an average of 12.4 per match.
- Oregon State has committed the seventh-most fouls in the NCAA this season.
- OSU placed 11 players on the Pac-12 All-Academic team last season, including seven players that will return to the squad this season (Baker, Geist, Faris, Higgins, Latham, Pantuso, Rodriguez).
- Oregon State features a strong international presence, with players from four foreign nations on the squad. Emma Jones and Kate Evans hail from England, Paula Leblic from Spain, Kathryn Baker from Canada and Olivia Ellis from Australia
The Senior Class:
- This season's team is led by a class of seven seniors, and the team has continualy had more wins year over year in every one of their seasons on campus.Â
- Both of Oregon State's goals this season have come from seniors (Higgins and Jones).
- The Beavers have started all seven seniors in each of their first four matches.
- Goalkeeper Bella Geist is currently third on the Oregon State all-time saves list with 312. Geist needs 25 more saves to move into a tie for second and 35 more saves to match Michelle Mitchell's (1993-96) program record.
- Geist saw time with the US U-23 National Team in the spring, playing for the Stars and Stripes in the Portland Thorns Spring Invitational. The goalkeeper got the start against the Chicago Red Stars on April 1, holding a clean sheet until she was subbed off in the 64th minute.
- Forward Nikki Farris tied the team lead for goals with six last season, Â as well as leading the team and tying for fifth in the Pac-12 with six assists.
- Forward Emma Jones finished with five assists, one off of tying the team lead in the category, while starting all 20 games at forward last season.
- Midfielder Kayla Latham started all 20 games for the Beavers last season, recording 12 shots with 8 on goal.Â
- Forward Natalie Higgins scored four goals last season, including a game winner against Boise State.
- Defender Kathryn Baker logged the second most minutes by a field player with 1602 last season, including a season high of 97 minutes against San Diego State.
- Defender Emmy Rodriguez was part of the defense that recorded four shutouts last season, and appeared in 17 games for the Beavers including an 86 minute effort against CSUN.Â
The Staff:
- Head Coach Linus Rhode is entering his 10th season at the helm of the Oregon State womens soccer team, and is looking to lead the Beavers to their fourth NCAA tournament apperance under his watch.
- Rhode has 81 career wins at Oregon State, tying him with Steve Fennah for the most wins in Oregon State history.
- Prior to becoming a head coach Rhode was an assistant and assosciate coach for the Beavers for eight seasons.
- The program brings on a new assistant coach this season, Vanessa Valentine. Valentine was formerly the head coach at Cal Poly.Â
- The Beavers also promoted longtime assistant Michelle Voiland to the position of associate head coach this season.
Beavs in the Pros:Â
- Jodie Taylor won the Golden Boot at this summer's European Championships, leading the tournament with five goals.
- Taylor also scored a goal for England in the 2015 World Cup in Canada, helping England win a bronze medal
- Taylor currently plays for Arsenal LFC
- Rachel Axon currently plays for Kolbotn Fotball in the Norwegian league.
- Greta Espinoza signed for Spanish club Levante this summer.
- Espinoza has also seen time with the Mexican National Team, including appearances at the 2015 World Cup
- Helene Haavik signed this spring with FC Staad of the Swiss Nationalliga A.
The Schedule:Â
- Eleven of Oregon State's 19 matches will be home games, including five of its eight nonconference contests.
- The Beavers will face six ranked opponents this season, including four teams ranked in the top-10 of the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll.
- Three of Oregon State's first four nonconference opponents come from power conferences.
- The Beavers will take on foes from five different conferences in non-league play. OSU will face three teams from the WCC, two from the Big 12, and one each from the SEC, WAC and Big Sky.
- The Beavers will be on TV eight times this year, with their Pac-12 Network debut coming on Aug. 25.
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FOLLOW ALONG: Sunday's game will be streamed live online. A link to the feed can be found at OSUBeavers.com. Twitter updates for all Oregon State soccer games can be found online at @BeaverWSoccer.
WHAT'S COMING UP: Oregon State returns home next week for a home game vs. Portland State on Friday. The Beavers will follow that up by hosting BYU on Monday, Sept. 11.
HISTORY WITH THE DONS: Oregon State is 5-3-0 all-time vs. San Francisco, and 1-2-0 in road matches vs. the Dons. The Beavers last took on USF on Aug. 30, 2015, earning a 2-1 overtime win. Natalie Higgins scored the game-winning goal in that contest, finding the net with a 25-yard shot in the 100th minute.
Streaking:
- The Beavers have allowed just three goals over their last six matches, dating back to last season. Four of those six games have been shutouts.
- Oregon State is 4-2-3 in nonconference road games dating back to the start of the 2015 season.
- The Beavers are 4-1-1 in their last six matchups with WCC opponents.
Quick Hitters:
- Oregon State has shown continuous improvement over the last three seasons, increasing its win-total markedly over the last two years.
- The team brings back two of its top three goal scorers from last season (Faris - 6, Higgins - 4), as well as three of its top four leaders in assists (Faris - 6, Jones - 5, Higgins - 3). Higgins and Jones have both found the net already in 2017.
- Oregon State scored 21 goals last season, its highest total since 2012.
- The Beavers committed the most fouls per-game in the Pac-12 last season, with an average of 12.4 per match.
- Oregon State has committed the seventh-most fouls in the NCAA this season.
- OSU placed 11 players on the Pac-12 All-Academic team last season, including seven players that will return to the squad this season (Baker, Geist, Faris, Higgins, Latham, Pantuso, Rodriguez).
- Oregon State features a strong international presence, with players from four foreign nations on the squad. Emma Jones and Kate Evans hail from England, Paula Leblic from Spain, Kathryn Baker from Canada and Olivia Ellis from Australia
The Senior Class:
- This season's team is led by a class of seven seniors, and the team has continualy had more wins year over year in every one of their seasons on campus.Â
- Both of Oregon State's goals this season have come from seniors (Higgins and Jones).
- The Beavers have started all seven seniors in each of their first four matches.
- Goalkeeper Bella Geist is currently third on the Oregon State all-time saves list with 312. Geist needs 25 more saves to move into a tie for second and 35 more saves to match Michelle Mitchell's (1993-96) program record.
- Geist saw time with the US U-23 National Team in the spring, playing for the Stars and Stripes in the Portland Thorns Spring Invitational. The goalkeeper got the start against the Chicago Red Stars on April 1, holding a clean sheet until she was subbed off in the 64th minute.
- Forward Nikki Farris tied the team lead for goals with six last season, Â as well as leading the team and tying for fifth in the Pac-12 with six assists.
- Forward Emma Jones finished with five assists, one off of tying the team lead in the category, while starting all 20 games at forward last season.
- Midfielder Kayla Latham started all 20 games for the Beavers last season, recording 12 shots with 8 on goal.Â
- Forward Natalie Higgins scored four goals last season, including a game winner against Boise State.
- Defender Kathryn Baker logged the second most minutes by a field player with 1602 last season, including a season high of 97 minutes against San Diego State.
- Defender Emmy Rodriguez was part of the defense that recorded four shutouts last season, and appeared in 17 games for the Beavers including an 86 minute effort against CSUN.Â
The Staff:
- Head Coach Linus Rhode is entering his 10th season at the helm of the Oregon State womens soccer team, and is looking to lead the Beavers to their fourth NCAA tournament apperance under his watch.
- Rhode has 81 career wins at Oregon State, tying him with Steve Fennah for the most wins in Oregon State history.
- Prior to becoming a head coach Rhode was an assistant and assosciate coach for the Beavers for eight seasons.
- The program brings on a new assistant coach this season, Vanessa Valentine. Valentine was formerly the head coach at Cal Poly.Â
- The Beavers also promoted longtime assistant Michelle Voiland to the position of associate head coach this season.
Beavs in the Pros:Â
- Jodie Taylor won the Golden Boot at this summer's European Championships, leading the tournament with five goals.
- Taylor also scored a goal for England in the 2015 World Cup in Canada, helping England win a bronze medal
- Taylor currently plays for Arsenal LFC
- Rachel Axon currently plays for Kolbotn Fotball in the Norwegian league.
- Greta Espinoza signed for Spanish club Levante this summer.
- Espinoza has also seen time with the Mexican National Team, including appearances at the 2015 World Cup
- Helene Haavik signed this spring with FC Staad of the Swiss Nationalliga A.
The Schedule:Â
- Eleven of Oregon State's 19 matches will be home games, including five of its eight nonconference contests.
- The Beavers will face six ranked opponents this season, including four teams ranked in the top-10 of the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll.
- Three of Oregon State's first four nonconference opponents come from power conferences.
- The Beavers will take on foes from five different conferences in non-league play. OSU will face three teams from the WCC, two from the Big 12, and one each from the SEC, WAC and Big Sky.
- The Beavers will be on TV eight times this year, with their Pac-12 Network debut coming on Aug. 25.
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Players Mentioned
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Tuesday, March 14
Oregon State's McKenzie Redberg finds herself through Air Force service, returns home to Corvallis
Thursday, March 02
Recap: Oregon State women's soccer closes out season with win over Oregon
Thursday, March 02
Recap: Cal women's soccer tallies three goals in win over Oregon State
Thursday, March 02