Oregon State Women's Soccer Preview: Beavers Get Back on the Road to Face Weber State

Oregon State finally picked up their first win of the season on Wednesday, taking down Bushnell 5-0 in a game that showcased what the Beavers' offense is capable of when it finds its rhythm. Oregon State will be back on the road this weekend, against another tough opponent, traveling to Ogden on Sunday to take on Weber State.

Last season the Wildcats just missed out on making the NCAA Tournament, falling to Montana in penalty kicks in the Big Sky Conference Championship game. This year they should be back right in the thick of the conference chase, with the team picked to finish first in the Big Sky's preseason poll.

So far this season they've performed solidly. In their season opener against Utah the Wildcats managed to draw the Utes 0-0 despite being outshot 17 to 4. They fell against Boise State 4-1 in their home opener, but rebounded with a 2-1 win over Wyoming on Thursday.

This is a defense first team. The Wildcats have been out shot in every game they've played so far this season, but goalkeeper Lauren Butorac and defenders Kaitlin Dean, Isabella Sackett and Lily Blum have proven extremely difficult to score on.

The exception of course is the game against Boise State, when the Broncos were able to convert on high scoring chances. Off free kicks, off turnovers, off a scramble in front of the goal. The kind of chances that every team is going to get. In their other two games the Wildcats were good about blocking and clearing those opportunities, but Boise State's shooters were too dangerous.

Offensively, the big name to watch out for is senior forward Sayler Schlosser. Schlosser was the centerpiece of the Wildcat attack against both Boise State and Utah, and picked up her first goal of the season against the Broncos. She has four shots so far this season, three of them on goal.

Oakley Anderson is the other Wildcat who's looked dangerous early in the season. She picked up a goal against Wyoming and an assist against Boise State, making her Weber State's point leader so far this year. Nellie Brooks is the third Wildcat with a goal, despite playing only 33 minutes so far this season.

Weber State hasn't been a team that has generated a lot of high danger scoring chances, but they've made the most of what they've gotten. The Beavers are going to be disciplined against the Wildcats, any mistake could easily turn into a Weber State lead, and letting the Wildcats settle back into a defensive posture with a one or two goal lead is how you lose the game.

Kick off for Sunday's match against Weber State is set for 1 PM Pacific. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.

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