Buffs Top Oregon State 1-0
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Sophomore Brie Hooks scored her fifth goal of the season to lead the University of Colorado women’s soccer team past Oregon State 1-0 on Friday afternoon at the Beavers’ Paul Lorenz Field.
CU improves to 9-4, 2-2 Pac-12 on the season, while Oregon State falls to 0-10-3 and 0-4-0 in conference play.
In the first half, both teams were unable to find the back of the net. Colorado outshot the Beavers 7-4, but the Buffs recorded just three shots on goal.
Hooks led the attack for the Buffs in the first 45 minutes of action with three shots and had one on goal. The sophomore from Maple Valley, Wash. had an open look in the 38th minute. From 30 yards out she drilled her shot toward the Beavers’ goal, but it hit the crossbar and was cleared before another Buff could get a boot on it.
After halftime, Hooks’ aggressiveness paid off. She broke the scoreless tie at the 46 minute mark off an assist from junior Olivia Pappalardo. Pappalardo had possession and found an opening to send the ball to Hooks who was deep on the right side of the goal box. Hooks gave the ball a nice easy touch and her shot bounced off the right goal post into the left corner of the net to give CU the 1-0 lead. The assist was Pappalardo’s first of the season.
“We talked about at halftime that we needed to put more shots on frame,” said Colorado head coach Danny Sanchez. “We played positive today. I think we earned the result that we got. A lot of credit to Oregon State, they could have packed it up, but they came with a lot of pressure late.”
In the match’s final minute, the Buffs were able to hold off the equalizer after Oregon State sent a cross from right to left. The Beavers crashed the net, but goalkeeper Kate Scheele grabbed the ball in mid-air to keep OSU from scoring. Scheele recorded her seventh shutout of the year.
Hooks’ goal proved to be the game-winner for the Buffs. It was her second of the season and sixth of her career.
“It was a tough game,” said Hooks. “Oregon State fought the whole game and never gave us anything easy. I think it really tested us and showed that we can get through tough and tight games. All of their games are very close and they do not allow many goals, so I think we did very well today to get the win.”
Colorado threatened to add a another goal late in the second half when Hooks and Madison Krauser combined for five shots on OSU goalkeeper Bella Geist in a span of five minutes from the 84:02 to 89:23 mark. However, Geist was able to save each attempt.
The shutout was the Buffs’ eighth of the 2014 campaign and they only need one more to tie last year’s total.
Colorado will go for its 10th win on Sunday, Oct. 12 against the Oregon Ducks in Eugene, Ore.
“Oregon is very athletic and they play very well at home on their turf,” said Sanchez. “It will be a huge challenge for us, but just like every game in the Pac-12 it will be a game that can go either way."
Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. MT and the match will be televised on Pac-12 Networks.