Oregon State ‘getting their minds back’ after brutal loss with two video games to go

CORVALLIS — With little left to play for past pleasure — which was closely broken by Saturday’s confounding loss to beforehand winless Sam Houston State — Oregon State soccer is making an attempt a reset forward of a street journey to Tulsa.

“That’s the biggest thing of all is exactly that: getting getting our minds back,” interim coach Robb Akey stated at his weekly press convention Monday. “To understand you’ve got an opportunity. And so, that opportunity is here, what are you going to do with it? And we’ve got to make sure that we overcome the feelings and that from this past weekend, and regardless of your situation as a team, you play a game and you’ve got the opportunity.”

The Beavers’ 2025 season is careening to the end line. After the journey to face the Golden Hurricane (2-7), OSU has a bye week earlier than ending off its schedule on the street at Washington State on Nov. 29 — spherical two within the closing yr of the “Pac-2.”

How can OSU keep away from ending with double-digit losses for the primary time since 2018? By “winning the situation” in key moments, Akey stated.

“I think the big thing is making plays that we have the opportunity to,” Akey stated. “I thought we had some opportunities to have made some plays that … we’ve got to make sure we secure finishing things. And some of them get seen more than others, based on where that finish of that play necessarily takes place, if that makes sense what I’m saying. That’s got to be our focus and what we work to do, and if we can do it better this week, it’s going to help us play better. And that’s the nature of where we’re at.”

A vivid spot of Saturday’s debacle was the continued robust play of senior working again Anthony Hankerson. After beginning out the season sluggish behind a patchwork offensive line, Hankerson has 502 yards over his final three video games.

On senior evening, Hankerson set a season-high with 33 carries. He seems decided to realize his second consecutive 1,000-yard season, and has simply 41 yards to go.

“If you’ve got a hot hand, let it ride,” Akey stated. “And I think Hank deserved the opportunity, being the last time he got to play here in front of our fans at Reser and things like that. So, there was a lot to contribute to that. But I thought, you know, that’s a guy … I’d go anywhere with him. Any dark alley you want, whatever it is. He’s a tough son of a buck, and it doesn’t mean that the other guys in the room aren’t or anything.”

As evidenced within the loss to the Bearkats, repeated errors and premature failures in all three phases maintain sinking the Beavers — particularly on particular groups. It’s been the identical story all season, instructed in new methods with every passing week.

Finishing on offense within the crimson zone was one other obvious difficulty for OSU, one thing it might want to do in opposition to a Tulsa group ranked within the backside 25 within the nation in scoring protection (30.78 factors per recreation).

“When we have those opportunities, we’ve got to find ways to still connect and finish those plays,” Akey stated. “And that’s what, as an offensive guy, that’s what I get the opportunity to do. As a defensive guy, I get the opportunity to make sure that I get the ball back for our offense, because that’s what the good Lord built the defense for, to get the ball back for the offense without giving up any points. So, that’s where we have to pay attention to those things.”

Oregon State (2-8) at Tulsa (2-7)

• When: Saturday, Nov. 15
• Time: 10:00 a.m. PT
• Where: H.A. Chapman Stadium — Tulsa, OK
• TV Channel: None
• Stream: ESPN+