FRESNO STATE (4-1-1) at OREGON STATE (1-4-0)
Sept. 12, 2024 • 7 p.m. PT • Corvallis, Ore. (Paul Lorenz Field)
COVERAGE
Stream: ESPN+
Live Stats: Bulldogslive.com
X (Twitter): @FresnoStateWSOC
FRESNO, Calif. — For the first time in two weeks, Fresno State will hit the road, traveling to Oregon State on Thursday night. It will be the first of two road trips for the Bulldogs as they will head to Pepperdine next week.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. PT at Paul Lorenz Field and will stream on ESPN+.
QUICK LOOK
Fresno State is 1-0-1 this year outside of the Central Valley.
The Bulldogs are coming off a 2-1 comeback win over CSU Bakersfield on Sunday. For the first time in the last 20 years, the 'Dogs scored two goals in the final five minutes to win in come-from-behind fashion.
Fresno State's four wins (4-1-1) is its most in the nonconference since 2019.
Fresno State started the season without a loss in its first four games of a season for just the second time in program history (2006, 2024).
Goalkeeper Shivani Battaglia ranks No. 2 in the Mountain West in goals against average (0.67) and save percentage (.826).
Ciara Wilson and Sam Paepen lead the team offensively with two goals apiece. Wilson owns two game-winners while Paepen has scored the first goal in two of the Bulldogs' four wins.
Paepen was named MW Freshman of the Week following her equalizer against CSU Bakersfield.
CRUNCH TIME
Fresno State has saved its best for the final moments in matches this year. In three of their four wins, the Bulldogs have scored the winning goal in the final 10 minutes. Two of those have come in the final 90 seconds in come-from-behind victories.
In those wins, the earliest goal came at the 80:14 mark with the latest coming at 89:16.
WORKING FROM BEHIND
Until this season, Fresno State hadn't won a game it trailed in since Oct. 8, 2021 when it won 2-1 at Utah State. In their first six games of the 2024 season, the 'Dogs have already come from behind to win two games.
Both wins have seen the Bulldogs score the winner in the final 90 seconds, both coming off the right foot of Ciara Wilson.
FLAIR FOR THE DRAMATICS
With four goals through her first two seasons, Ciara Wilson has added two to that total this season. Both of those goals though have been game-winners, the first of her career. The timing of those goals have been perfect for the Bulldogs as they have come within the final 90 seconds.
Against Weber State, the junior scored with 44 seconds remaining on the clock. The goal versus CSU Bakersfield was with 79 seconds remaining.
COMEBACK IN THE LAST 10
While rare, prior to Fresno State's dramatic 2-1 comeback on Sept. 8 against CSU Bakersfield in which the 'Dogs scored in the 86th and 89th minutes, Fresno State has scored multiple goals in the final 10 minutes of a game to win in regulation. On Sept. 10, 2017, Fresno State defeated UCSB 2-1, scoring in the 85th and 88th minutes. A season earlier, on Sept. 2, 2016, the Bulldogs won a 4-3 match over Portland State, scoring the game's final goals in the 81st and 89th minutes.
During the last 20 years, no Fresno State team has scored two goals in the final five minutes of regulation to come back and win a game.
STARTING STRONG
Fresno State is 4-1-1 through its first six matches of the season. It is the first time since 2019 that the Bulldogs have posted at least three wins in the nonconference.
Fresno State was 4-2-1 in the nonconference in 2019. That was the second-most nonconference wins during the last decade.
KEEPING THINGS CLEAN
Heading into the season, a big question was who was going to replace Valentina Vivas who had been in goal for the Bulldogs since 2019. Central Michigan transfer Shivani Battaglia got the nod, and it paid off. The junior has two clean sheets and 19 saves through six matches.
She ranks No. 2 in the Mountain West in goals against average (0.67) and save percentage (.826).
Battaglia is the first Bulldog keeper to earn a shutout in their debut in a season opener since Kaity Revel on Aug. 31, 2007 (vs. UC Irvine, 3-0).
BELGIAN IMPORT
With four newcomers starting this season, midfielder Sam Paepen is the youngest. The freshman from Tessenderlo, Belgium was one of three players to play the full 90 minutes in the season opener, and she has since started each match and has been a significant piece in the defensive midfield.
Paepen scored the first goal of her career on Sept. 29 versus Montana. Ten days later she scored an 87th-minute equalizer in Fresno State's come-from-behind win over CSU Bakersfield.
The Bulldogs are 4-0-0 this season when Paepen plays more than 70 minutes.
Paepen came to Fresno after being a member of the youth Belgian National Team at U16 and U17 levels.
SERIES HISTORY
Fresno State is 0-4-1 all-time against Oregon State.
Four of those matchups have occurred in Corvallis, Ore. (0-3-1).
The Beavers defeated the Bulldogs 2-1 in the last meeting in Corvallis (Aug. 21, 2021).
The last meeting resulted in a 2-0 defeat for the Bulldogs in Fresno on Aug. 25, 2022.
The 'Dogs have scored three goals in the five matches with Oregon State.