CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Oregon State University men’s soccer team finally returned to the pitch for 2017 on Friday evening in the first game of the annual Hensor/Zaher Nike Classic on Paul Lorenz Field at Patrick Wayne Valley Stadium.

The Beavers (0-1-0) held the lead over the Stags (1-0-0) midway through the second half, but surrendered two late goals and took a 2-1 loss to open the season.

“We knew it was going to be one of those games where Fairfield will do everything they can to make it difficult to play against,” said head coach Steve Simmons, “and, in the first half, they sat back to get us frustrated, but I thought we did well to keep our heads.

“I thought we played better in the second half after we got the first goal, but we probably should’ve had a few more opportunities. We know you can’t let teams hang around and we got beat on two plays we know we can defend.”

Senior Timmy Mueller (Post Falls, Idaho) tallied the lone goal for Oregon State in the match on a penalty kick in the 69th minute. As a team, OSU held a 14-6 advantage on shots and a 5-3 advantage on corner kicks over Fairfield.

Redshirt-junior Ryan Vincent took the decision in the net for the hosts, while Gordon Botterill was awarded the win for the visitors.

Don Junior-Bobe and Angus Hastings both had a goal for the Stags in the final 10 minutes of the game. Matt McGlinchey had the assist on Junior-Bobe’s goal in the 81st minute.

The Beavers held the advantage in shots in the first half at 5-2, with an attempt each from Mueller and redshirt-sophomore Eric Diaz (Woodburn, Ore.) coming on target. The lone corner kick for OSU came at the 10-minute mark, but the attempt from senior Jaime Miralles (Vinaros, Spain) failed to find any open space before the Stags cleared it away.

Fairfield was limited to three shots in the frame but couldn’t find room to challenge Vincent in the net.

The second half saw more action early on as junior Don Tchilao (Chandler, Ariz.) had an opportunity at point-blank range, corralling a loose ball inside the six-yard box, but put too much on the touch as the ball went over the crossbar.

The Stags had an open look following an OSU corner, but senior Sam Tweeton (Fort Collins, Colo.) squelched the chance with a blocked shot and kept the ensuing rebound in the field of the play.

A couple more corners came available for Oregon State, both in the 64th minute, yet neither look found purchase.

OSU finally broke through in the 69th minute, as Tchilao drew a foul in the box and sent Mueller to the dot for his first penalty kick of the season. Mueller was successful on the attempt to give the Beavers a 1-0 lead with 20 minutes remaining in the match.

Both sides went back-and-forth from there before Fairfield netted the equalizer at the 81st minute when Junior-Bobe finished a corner kick from McGlinchey, sneaking the shot past an outstretched Vincent.

The Stags got the eventual game-winner after a caution was issued to OSU in the 86th minute and the eventual set piece found its way into the storm of players, bouncing off a Beaver before finding the foot of Hastings who sent it past the keeper for a 2-1 lead.

Fairfield would hold onto the advantage through the remainder of the match.

“Credit to Fairfield to come in here and get a result,” added Simmons. “For us, it is a lesson to learn and we will learn it.”

The Beavers will wrap up their portion of the Classic on Monday, August 28, when UNLV pays a visit to the Pacific Northwest. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. PT at Paul Lorenz Field on the Pac-12 Networks.

For more information on the Oregon State men’s soccer team, visit OSUBeavers.com or follow the club @BeaverMSoccer on Twitter

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