Megan Miller is having quite an early-season for the Oregon State University women’s soccer team.
The Todd Beamer High School graduate’s play for the Beavers was recognized Sunday when she was named on Top Drawer Soccer’s National Team of the Week. Miller joined 10 other Division I players from around the United States after another impressive week.
Miller earned player of the week honors for her two-goal performance over the weekend in the OSU Nike Invitational. Along with the OSU senior at the midfielder position is Kristen Mewis from Boston College and Daphne Corboz out of Georgetown. An additional three forwards, four defenders and one goal keeper make up the team.
“She is absolutely deserving of that honor,” said OSU head coach Linus Rhode. “Megan played a key role in both games and for her to be on the national team of the week is obviously a great achievement.”
Miller currently leads the Beavers in all three significant statistical offensive categories with 10 total points, including three goals and four assists. She has scored a goal in three-straight matches.
The biggest of Miller’s goals this season came in the 109th minute against Seattle University on Sunday. The goal gave Oregon State a 1-0 double-overtime win in the finale of the OSU Nike Invitational at Lorenz Field.
Miller’s goal at the 108:48 mark broke the 0-0 tie and sent Beaver fans into a frenzy as Oregon State notched their fourth consecutive victory and improved to 8-1-0 on the year. With the loss, Seattle dropped to an even 4-4.
“I was so tired but I think I celebrated like a 6-year old to be honest,” Miller said about the late goal. “Just jumping up and down while being bombarded by my teammates, it was a really great feeling to be that person today.”
Miller also scored during a 2-0 win over Gonzaga on Saturday in the tournament opener. Both the matches against Gonzaga and Seattle U were televised nationally on the Pac-12 Network. The Beavers entered the weekend ranked 21st in the nation.
Miller has played in and started all nine matches for Oregon State this season, logging 656 total minutes. She has fired off a total of 13 shots (four on goal) and her four assists on the year is tied for second in the Pac-12.
Miller was joined on the Top Drawer National Team of the Week by Florida State senior defender Tiana Brockway, who grew up in Northeast Tacoma and graduated from Stadium High School. Brockway’s brother, Brandon, graduated from Beamer and is currently playing soccer at the University of Califonia Santa Barbara.
The last Oregon State player to be named on the team of the week was Chelsea Buckland in 2011, when she scored two goals against then top-ranked Stanford.
The Beavers open their Pac-12 schedule this weekend at home against the University of Utah Utes in Corvallis.
“I am really excited,” Miller said about opening conference play. “Things have been pretty interesting across the Pac-12 during non-conference play, so I am excited to see how we will match-up. Each game is important and we are going to start next weekend with Utah.”
Oregon State has reached the NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Tournament three years in a row. The Beavers lost to the University of Portland in the opening round last year.
Miller is joined on the Oregon State roster by fellow Beamer graduate Jessica Niewoehner. The junior defender has played in five matches for the Beavers and has started four. The Oregon State defense has allowed just four goals in nine matches.
The Beavers’ game against Gonzaga was the first live Oregon State sporting event to be televised on the newly-developed Pac-12 Network.
“The Pac-12 Networks are going to be enormous for this conference,” Rhode said. “Individually, we just want to put on a good showing our first time out.”
This season, the Pac-12 Network will be televising a grand total of 58 women’s soccer games live, including several Arizona State contests. Fellow Beamer graduate Holland Crook plays in the midfield.
