UW looking to avenge bitter loss to OSU
September 30, 2005
Corvallis and Washington men's soccer do not agree with each other.
At least that's been the case since 2001, the last time a Husky team won a match at Paul Lorenz Field, home to the Oregon State Beavers.
"That's been a jinx field for us," said senior goalkeeper Chris Eylander, part of the six-man senior class that has never won in Corvallis. "I don't know what has gone on there in the past. It seems when we go on the road against them crazy stuff ends up happening -- crazy stuff like last year's gut-wrenching 3-2 overtime loss to close the regular season.
That setback likely cost the Dawgs a first-round bye in the NCAA Tournament. Instead of watching the initial round from their living rooms, they dropped their match to Portland.
The No. 15 ranked UW team will do everything to reverse the curse come Sunday when the two conference foes square off for the first Pac-10 match of the season.
Luckily for Washington, their poor history in Corvallis hasn't translated anywhere else. Head coach Dean Wurzberger was pleased with the way the Huskies played the "first third" of the season, referring to the seven-game non-conference schedule to open the 2005 campaign, a stretch that produced a 6-1 record.
"You can't get ready for conference play much better than we have," Wurzberger said.
The Huskies are indeed playing good soccer. They have claimed five consecutive victories, including a win in their host tournament, the Husky Fever Classic.
Now the Dawgs just have to figure out Corvallis and a pesky Beavers team who are unbeaten in their last seven matches (4-2-4).
The team's approach is simple.
"We just got to come out hard. We're going to come out and match that physical play (of OSU)," said Eylander who has three shutouts and 24 saves this season. "I have no doubt if we match that, that our skill will take over the game."
Wurzberger has a feeling that the jinx of Corvallis will end this year.
"For some reason the last three years we haven't had any luck down there," he said. "I really think this is going to be the year they change that."
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