Willamette Stays Perfect with 11–7 Road Win

WALLA WALLA, Wash. — Willamette University (3-0, 2-0) secured an 11-7 victory over Whitman College (1-2, 0-2) on Saturday at James Hayner Field. The Bearcats' offensive push in the second quarter, scoring six goals, proved decisive. The team also succeeded in clearing 16 of 20 attempts, contributing to the win. Whitman managed three power-play goals but could not overcome the gap created in the second quarter.

The first quarter commenced with both teams vying for control, as Shelby Wilkinson secured the initial draw control for the Bearcats. Alexandra Miller opened the scoring at 8:12, giving the Bearcats the lead with her first goal of the season. Whitman responded with a man-up goal by Sarah Hawkins, assisted by Ellie Milesi, at 6:17. Willamette regained the lead when Claire Kisielnicki scored a man-down goal, assisted by Priya Mistry, at 5:43. However, Whitman tied the score at 2-2 with another goal from Hawkins, again assisted by Milesi, with 39 seconds left in the quarter. The quarter concluded with both teams level at two goals apiece.

Willamette extended its lead in the second quarter with a strong offensive performance. Alex Warfel opened the scoring at the 12:48 mark, followed by Priya Mistry's goal assisted by Alexandra Miller at 11:52. Goals from Syd Shoemaker, Shelby Wilkinson, and a free position shot by Alexandra Miller pushed the Bearcats' tally to 8. Whitman responded with goals from Lola McConaghy and a man-up score by Serafin Miller, narrowing the gap. Despite Whitman's efforts, Willamette held a 7-3 advantage in the quarter, ending with a score of 8-4.

The third quarter witnessed a shift in momentum as Whitman's L. Pasena-Littlesky scored twice within the span of a minute, narrowing the deficit. The first of these goals came at 9:35, followed by another at 9:12, showcasing Whitman's offensive push. Willamette responded with a goal from Alex Warfel at 8:54, who also controlled the subsequent draw. Despite multiple clear attempts and a save by Olivia Austin against a free position shot, the Bearcats managed only one goal in the quarter, closing it with a lead of 9-6.

Willamette extended its lead early in the fourth quarter with Priya Mistry scoring her first goal of the season at 12:42. Shortly after, Syd Shoemaker added another goal with a man-up free position shot at 2:17, further solidifying the advantage for the visitors. Whitman managed to respond at the 1:01 mark with Ellie Milesi scoring her first goal of the season, assisted by Lola McConaghy. Despite Whitman's late effort to close the gap, the quarter ended with the Bearcats maintaining a commanding lead, finishing with a score of 11-7.

The Bearcats have an overall record of 3-0 and a conference record of 2-0. Whitman has an overall record of 1-2 and a conference record of 0-2.

In their next game, the Bearcats will face Whitworth College on Sunday, March 8, at 1 p.m. The matchup will take place in Spokane, Washington.