Beavers to Host Hensor/Zaher Classic
September 12, 2013 | Men's Soccer
LOOKING AHEAD: Oregon State (3-1-0 overall, 0-0-0 Pac-12) will host the 2013 Hensor/Zaher Nike Invitational this weekend at Paul Lorenz Field in Corvallis, Ore. The Beavers will open the weekend by taking on Seattle University at 7 p.m. on Friday, before they face off against Air Force on Sunday at 2 p.m.
FOLLOW ALONG: Sunday's match will be the first of eight Oregon State men's soccer games to be televised on Pac-12 Networks this season. Both games will also be available via live stats on osubeavers.com. You can also follow Oregon State men's soccer and head coach Steve Simmons on twitter at @OSUBeavers_MSOC and @CoachSimmo for Oregon State men's soccer updates.
HENSOR/ZAHER HISTORY: The Hensor/Zaher Classic has been played since 2004, and honors a pair of student-athletes who were tragically lost just a few months apart. Stephen Hensor was a midfielder on the 2000 and 2001 squads, who was stricken by liver cancer and died on Aug. 30, 2002. Then, following a season that saw him earn Freshman All-America and Pac-10 Freshman of the Year honors, Joe Zaher died in a car accident on Dec. 1, 2002. In the event's history, Oregon State is 10-5-3.
SERIES HISTORIES: Oregon State is 5-1-0 all-time against Seattle U, but the Beavers' last win over the Redhawks came in 1994. Seattle U won the teams' last meeting 1-0 in overtime in 2009. The Beavers won the only ever meeting between the two squads to be held in Corvallis, defeating the Redhawks 2-0 in 1989.
The Beavers are 2-6-0 against the Falcons, but Oregon State won the last matchup between the teams, 4-2 in 2002. Oregon State is 1-2-0 against Air Force in games played in Corvallis.
SCOUTING SEATTLE U: Seattle U has yet to record a victory in the 2013 season, holding a record of 0-3-1. Miguel Gonzalez has scored two of the Redhawks' four goals so far this season, while Jeff Rose and Michael Roberts have tallied one apiece. Friday's game will mark the fifth of six road contests to open the season for the Redhawks. Seattle U finished 1-8-1 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation last season, placing last in the Pacific Division and missing the conference tournament. Seattle U is coached by Peter Fewing, who is 223-141-28 in 20 seasons with the Redhawks.
SCOUTING AIR FORCE: The Falcons went 10-9-4 in 2012, winning the MPSF Tournament on their way to an NCAA Tournament berth. Air Force has struggled to begin 2013, however, going 0-3-0 through the first few weeks of the season. The Falcons have scored just one goal through their first three games, with Brian Klazura recording their only score of the 2013 season. The Falcons are coached by Doug Hill, who is 46-63-9 in his career.
LOCKING IT DOWN: The Beavers have allowed just two goals through the first four games of the 2013 season, matching the least goals allowed through the first four matches of the season since the program's inception in 1988. Oregon State has allowed two goals through four games five times in school history, with the last occurrence coming in 2009. In 1998, the Beavers allowed two goals through five games.
SENIORITIS?: A pair of Beaver seniors are looking to end their careers on high notes. Josh Smith and Daniel Van Vleet failed to find the net in the first three years of their careers, but both players have scored twice already this season. Smith opened the scoring for the Beavers in 2013, finding the net against Cleveland State in the season opener. He followed that up with a goal in Sunday's game against Oakland. Van Vleet failed to score in his first 38 appearances for the Beavers before he recorded a brace against Oakland.
BORCE'S BRINGING IT: Senior transfer Borce Atanasov has quickly he has made his mark on the Beaver offense. The Beaverton, Ore., native leads the Beavers with five points so far this season, and is tied for third in the nation with three assists through Oregon State's first four games. Atanasov transferred to Oregon State from Clark College in the winter. In his final season at Clark, Atanasov led the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges in goals, en route to NWAACC Player of the Year honors.
THE BEST DEFENSE IS A GOOD OFFENSE: Not only has the Beaver back-line held its opponent's to just two goals through the first four games of the season, it has found its way onto the scoresheet as well. Oregon State defenders have racked up four goals through the first two weeks of the season. Senior Josh Smith was the first Beaver to find the net this year, scoring a header after entering the game against Cleveland State at right-back. Smith followed that up with a second goal of the season, as he scored at Oakland on Sunday. Junior centerback Will Seymore's 50-yard free kick found its way into the net against Cleveland State., and senior Alex Eckerson also recorded a goal with a curling shot from outside the box that gave the Beavers a 1-0 lead over UC Davis.
BEAVERS IN THE PAC: Oregon State is currently one of three Pac-12 teams that have tallied three wins through the first two weeks of action. No. 5 California has opened the year 3-0-0 and No. 10 Washington is 3-0-1. The Beavers are currently tied for the conference lead with a +7 goal differential. Oregon State is also tied with Washington for the top goals-against average in the Pac-12 at 0.50. Individually, Borce Atanasov it tied for the conference lead with three assists, and is tied for fourth in the conference in points with five.
