Oregon State Women's Soccer Can't Break LMU Defense, Ties Lions 0-0

Oregon State Women's Soccer looked much improved Friday night against Loyola Marymount. The team played more aggressively, out shooting the Lions 18-5 and making fewer defensive mistakes. Despite that, the Beavers could not find a goal, drawing with the Lions 0-0 to put their record at 1-7-2.

After LMU's Cameron Bourne forced a Libby Brooker save in the fourth minute, it seemed like Friday night would bring another game where they Beavers would be outmatched on offense. The Beavers proved the doubters wrong though, coming out aggressively and putting a lot of pressure on the LMU goal.

Lea Gentry got the Beavers their first shot of the half in the 19th minute, forcing a save from JJ Hoover. Grace Wetzel soon added a second, forcing another save in the 22nd minute. Shots by London Tsuma, Isabela Marquart and Emily Brandt followed after, but all were off target.

Oregon State kept the pressure on, with Mary Hoffman forcing a third save in the 36th minute, but despite out shooting the Lions eight to four in the half, the Beavers couldn't find a goal. That aggression came at a cost, as the Beavers out fouled LMU eight to one. Despite that, both teams left for the locker rooms with no goals on the scoreboard.

The Beavers kept the pressure on at the start of the second half, keeping the ball in the LMU half but not getting a shot off until Taylor Ayres launched one wide in the 56th minute. Isabela Marquart added another a minute later, but it was again off target. An Adele Schwab shot from deep nearly found the net, but was just over the crossbar.

The Beavers kept getting close, but couldn't find a goal. That made every LMU chance dangerous, even if they were scarce. In the 71st minute Cameron Bourne slipped past the Oregon State defensive line and appeared to break the tie, but an offside call saved the Beavers.

Both sides fought hard to find a goal in the closing minutes of the game. Leanne Oropeza and Mary Hoffman got a pair of dangerous shots off around the 80th minute, and in the 82nd minute LMU got their first corner kick of the game, setting a dangerous sequence that pressed the Beaver defense. Four different Beavers registered shots in the final five minutes, but none found their mark, and the game ended scoreless.

With Oregon State staying on the attack for much of the game, Libby Brooker was not tested the way she has been in previous games, but still saved both shots she faced. Oregon State's shooting was well rounded. Six different Beavers Lea Gentry, Sophia Zboyan, Grace Wetzel, Mary Hoffman, Emily Brandt and Reese Thurston, registered two shots, with Wetzel putting both her shots on goal.

The Beavers have one more non-conference game before the start of Pac-12 play. They'll be in Cheney, Washington next Friday to take on Eastern Washington.

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