The Barometer Online

Issue date: 10/10/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Curtis Barnard Senior midfielder Collin Foster has scored one goal on the season. Foster and the Beavers are 3-5-3 on the season.

The post-season push continues for the Oregon State Beavers men's soccer team as they host the Washington Huskies this Friday at 7:30 p.m. for the annual alumni game.

Oregon State is 3-5-3 on the season with a conference record of 0-1-1 coming off a 1-1 tie against Stanford. Washington is 6-3-1 on the year with a Pac-10 record of 1-0-1 coming off a 2-2 tie against Cal.

This is a pivotal game for the Beavers, and although they are looking for the first conference win of the season, one win is all they need to get back on top as every single Pac-10 game last Sunday resulted in a tie, showing how tight of a race it will be for the rest of the season.

"We took a big step forward on Sunday," senior midfielder and team captain Ryan Callahan said. "We had a really solid week of training so it's looking good for us going into UW. Everybody's excited, confident and ready to play that rivalry game."

The men's soccer rivalry between Oregon State and Washington was formed somewhat by default, as neither the University of Oregon or Washington State University field men's soccer teams. However, that does not at all downplay the intensity of the game when these two teams play against each other.

Last year the Beavers got the upper hand in the matchup with a 2-1 overtime win in Seattle, then a 2-2 tie at Paul Lorenz Field back home in Corvallis. However, after the Huskies tied with Cal, a team that beat OSU 3-0, the Beavers are going to have to play some of their best soccer to come out with a victory.

"We just can't hype up the game too much and over-think our opponent," senior forward Robby Christner said. "We need to play our own game and not get caught up in the hype of it being an important Pac-10 game."

Over-thinking the Huskies would be a big mistake indeed, as in recent weeks the Huskies have made their opponents pay with an unbeaten streak over the last five games. However, all five of those games were played at home, and this will be their first trip out of Seattle since Sept. 12, when they lost at Portland 3-1.

Continued...

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