Bearcats Hit the Road for Crucial Weekend Series

By Brandon Chinn, Athletics Communications Writer

SALEM, ORE. -- With just five games remaining in the 2014 regular season, the Willamette University men's soccer team is on a mission to win its first Northwest Conference championship in program history.

But if the Bearcats are wanting to take one step closer to turning that goal into a reality, they'll need to survive a two-game road trip this weekendnorth of Oregon's border.

Willamette travels to Parkland, Wash., on Saturday, Oct. 25to challenge Pacific Lutheran before meeting up with the Loggers of Puget Sound on Sunday afternoon. Both games are set to begin at 2:30 p.m. (PDT).

Willamette and Puget Sound are currently tied for first in the NWC standings at 7-1-1.

The Bearcats defeated Pacific Lutheran 3-1 in their only other match-up this season on Sept. 28 at Sparks Field. The game was tied heading into the intermission, but a successful penalty kick from Yazan Hishmeh (Jr, F, Ventura, CA/Saint Bonaventure HS) and an insurance goal from Jesse Thompson (Jr., F, Santa Ynez, CA/Santa Ynez Valley Union HS) propelled Willamette to victory.

The Bearcats handed Puget Sound its only conference loss of the season to date in a game played one day before the Bearcats took on PLU.

With the game scoreless coming out of halftime, Garrett Ross (Jr., F, Pacific Palisades, CA/Oakwood Secondary) put the 'Cats on top 1-0 with a goal in the 52nd minute on a crossing pass from Tyler Yates (Jr., F, Kailua-Kona, HI/Kealakehe HS). That lead didn't last long, however, as Puget Sound midfielder Connor LaFerriere scored from eight yards out on a header near the right post.

With 10 minutes remaining in regulation, Hishmeh put the Bearcats ahead for good. Dribbling through the middle of the field, Hishmeh fired from 12 yards out and connected into the upper right portion of the net for the game-winner.

That 2-1 victory over UPS on Sept. 27 gave Willamette just its second win in its previous 17 tries against the Loggers.

With seven wins entering the weekend, Willamette is just one win away from its best NWC record in over a decade. The Bearcats last surpassed the seven-win mark in conference play in 1998, when the team went 9-7.

And as their success continues to grow, so does the Bearcats' place on thenation's radar. According to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), Willamette ranks 10th in the West Region in the latest poll, released on Oct. 21. The NSCAA also has Puget Sound ranked fifth and Whitworth University (6-1-2) slotted in fourth.

Hishmeh is pacing Willamette's scoring efforts this season with 11 goals, the second most in the NWC. He has also dished out two assists and has 24 total points.

Alan Hernandez (Fr., F, Tigard, OR/Tigard HS) and Thompson are tied for second on the team with four goals apiece.

Bearcat goalkeeper Braydon Calder (Jr., Philomath, OR/Philomath HS) has played in 12 games (11 starts) and leads the team with 975 minutes in the goalie box. He is 7-4 with 47 saves on the season.