Bearcats Claw Past Geoducks, 2-1, For First Win of Season

By Mark Colachico, Interim Assistant Athletics Communications Director

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- After scoring in just the second minute of the contest and putting in the game-winner in the 53rd minute, Willamette University earned its first win of the season, defeating The Evergreen State College, 2-1, in a non-conference match on Sunday afternoon at GeoduckPitch.

TheBearcats struck first when Jesse Thompson (Jr., F, Santa Ynez, CA/Santa Ynez Valley Union HS) caught Evergreen keeper Angel Guerra up at the top of the box and put in an easy chip for the 1-0 lead a mere 62 seconds into the game for his first goal of the season.

The Geoducks answered back just about four minutes later in the sixth minutewhen Alberto Brand put in a great ball to Tanner Williams, who dribbled around Willamette keeper Julian Juarez (Jr., GK, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School)for his first score of the season.

After the teams went into the halftime break still tied at 1-1, Willamette scored again in the 53rd minuteafter Tyler Yates (Jr., F, Kailua-Kona, HI/Kealakehe HS) dribbled around an Evergreen defender beforesending a well-placed shot into the far side of the goal mouth for the 2-1 lead and the eventual game-winner.

The Geoducks held a 14-10 advantage on shots, though Juarez and Braydon Calder (Jr., GK, Philomath, OR/Philomath HS) combined for five saves to keep Evergreen out of the win column. Williams led the Evergreen offense with eight shots with four on goal, including the score.

Willamette returns to the pitch on Friday, September 12th, for their home opener against the University of California-Santa Cruz beginning at 7 p.m. PST on Sparks Field. The Bearcats will conclude a soccer double header that kicks off the Alumni/Homecoming athletic contests for the weekend.