The Oregon soccer team was picked to finish last in the Pacific-10 Conference by the Pac-10 coaches before the season started.
On Sunday in Corvallis, Oregon State’s Lindsey Beem all but ensured that the Ducks will end the season in the conference cellar.
Beem scored a hat trick in Oregon State’s 4-1 victory over Oregon on Sunday afternoon. It was the Beavers’ first-ever victory in the series between the two teams. The victory kept Oregon State’s hopes alive for the NCAA Tournament, while effectively ending Oregon’s chances.
Beem scored her first goal in the match’s 11th minute. After an Oregon foul, Beem took a free kick and drilled it into the upper right-hand corner of the goal, past Oregon goalie Sarah Peters.
Oregon senior midfielder Beth Bowler answered with a free kick goal of her own 12 minutes later. She also placed her direct kick into the goal’s upper right corner.
Oregon State scored its second goal with only three seconds left in the first half. The Beavers’ leading scorer, Katie Henderson, sent a ball through the Oregon defense to freshman Jillian Nicks, who redirected it past Peters for her sixth goal of the year.
“When you get a goal right before halftime, I think that’s the best time for you to score, and the hardest time for your opponent,” Oregon State head coach Steve Fennah said.
The goal actually sparked the Ducks’ offense in the second half. Oregon took only eight shots in the first frame, but outshot Oregon State 13-12 in the second period.
Despite the Ducks’ shooting spree, the Beavers’ Beem continued to dominate the scoreboard, sealing Oregon State’s win with two goals in the second half. Beem’s second goal of the game came six minutes into the second frame, as she headed in a cross from Emily Hughes. Beem’s final goal came after Peters saved a shot but gave up the rebound, which Beem easily put away for the game’s final goal.
“It was a tremendous team performance, and Lindsey Beem was the icing on the cake,” Fennah said.
With the win, Oregon State moved to 10-7-1 overall, and 2-5 in the Pac-10. The Beavers could earn a trip to the NCAA Tournament with a victory against either Washington State or Washington next weekend.
“I’d like to think if we won both (of the next two games) we would be one (of the teams selected for the tournament),” Fennah said.
Oregon moved to 7-8-1 overall, and 1-6 in Pac-10 play. Even if the Ducks could earn a school-record eighth victory in Washington next weekend, it would not be enough to send them to the NCAA Tournament.
Oregon will travel to Washington on Friday and Washington State on Sunday in its final games of the season.