Bearcats Drop Close One to Pacific, 1-0, in NWC Play

By Mark Colachico, Interim Assistant Athletics Communications Director

SALEM, ORE. -- In its first Northwest Conference road game of the weekend, Willamette University could not overcome an early offensive surge from Pacific University (Ore.) and fell to the Boxers, 1-0, on Saturday at Hanson Stadium.

With the win, Pacific improves to 5-5-1 overall and 2-4-1 in Northwest Conference games. Meanwhile, Willamette falls to 2-8-1 overall and 1-5-1 in NWC matches.

The Bearcats had an opportunity to score early on in the first half, when just a few minutes into the match Emma Sanders' (So., MF, Kennewick, WA/Southridge HS) header was saved by Pacific goalie Megan Green at the 6:47 mark. It was one of only three shots on goal on the day for Willamette.

A little less than 20 minutes later, it was Willamette's Emily Sewell (So., GK, Petaluma, CA/Casa Grande HS) who made a save, stopping a shot from Pacific's Syndey Virgin. Sewell had a total of four saves in the game, including three in the first half.

Over the next 17 minutes, the two teams would combine for three shots with Pacific unleashing a pair and Willamette getting off a single shot.

In the 41st minute, Willamette was whistled for a foul in the box that awarded the Boxers a penalty kick. Ashley Hunt-Parker would calmly step up to the penalty stripe and ripped a shot into the back of the net for her third goal of the season at the 40:07 mark that would eventually turn out to be the game-winning score.

Neither team would muster much offense over the final four-plus minutes of the first half, as Sanders shot at 43:51 went high to conclude the attacking presence by both teams over the opening 45 minutes of play.

Each team registered four shots in the first half, as Pacific put all four of its shots on-target with Willamette getting two on frame. The Bearcats held the advantage in corner kicks (3-to-2), while each team was whistled for six fouls in the first half.

The second half would begin with each team showing its offensive firepower, as Pacific nearly added another goal at 62:29 when Kara Lankey's shot hit the post before being cleared over the end line by a Bearcat defender.

Over the game's final 27-plus minutes, Willamette would get the only two shots as McKenzie Andringa (Jr., MF, Yakima, WA/LaSalle HS) tallied both shots for the Bearcats at 84:02 and 89:44. Unfortunately, neither shot found the back of the net resulting in the hard-fought loss for Willamette.

In the end, both teams registered seven shots with Pacific putting five on-target versus Willamette's aforementioned three. The Boxers held the advantage in corner kicks, 7-to-3, that included a 5-0 difference in the second half. Pacific was also whistled for four more fouls (12-to-8) than Willamette, as Sewall ended with a game-high four saves and Green tallied three for the Boxers in picking up the win.

Willamette continues its mini two-game Northwest Conference road trip tomorrow - Sunday, Oct. 12 - in Parkland, Washington against conference-leading Pacific Lutheran. Kick off is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. (PDT).