ASHLAND, Ore. - The Southern Oregon women’s soccer team bolted into the thick of the Cascade Conference playoff race with a pair of home wins over the weekend, and will now head to Portland to face two teams on completely opposite ends of the league standings.
Freshman Katie Griffith’s CCC Offensive Player of the Week-worthy performance helped the Raiders (6-7 overall, 4-1 conference) pull of a Friday 1-0 double-overtime win against Evergreen and then a 2-0 victory over Northwest to cap the sweep.
Griffith was assisted by Auika Muragin for the lone goal in Friday’s match, and added an assist on Saturday when Stacy Hamer and Sarah Switzer’s goals led the Raider to their first 4-1 start in league play since 2003.
“Katie had a great week,” Coach Jon Clement said. “She was dangerous; she pushed the other teams back and hit a few stingers.”
Hamer’s goal was her second of the year, and both have been game-winners.
Freshman keeper Jessica Kuehlwien, in part with the Raider defense, orchestrated the weekend shutouts and improved her goals allowed average 0.38 per game, good for second in the league.
“Our team defending was very solid,” Clement added. “Whenever we defend like that, it puts us in a good position to win.”
The Raiders are now one of four teams with four wins behind Concordia’s league-best 5-0 record. The Cavaliers have won 11-straight matches on the year, sport a 12-0-1 record and have a date with the Raiders on Saturday following Southern Oregon’s contest at Cascade on Friday.
Cascade (1-10-2, 0-5-1) is nursing a four-game losing streak and is still looking for its first conference win. Amanda Hassler is the only Thunderbird with a goal to her name this season. The Thunderbirds coaxed the Raiders into a scoreless tie last year in Ashland, but the Raiders lead the all-time series 8-0-4.
Concordia, ranked fifth in this week’s NAIA Top 25 poll, has outscored opponents 33-1 in CCC contests, and averages almost a full five goals per match more than any other team. The Cavaliers feature the top-five goal scorers in the league, including Jessica Ramback (eight goals, four assists) and Justine Pronovost (six goals, three assists). Caitlin Verhofstadt leads the CCC with six assists.
The Cavaliers have taken 12 straight from Southern Oregon, and lead the all-time series 14-1.
“We’ll start to focus on that game after Cascade,” Clement said, “We’re going to need to be patient and opportunistic, but, as always, the goal is to get two victories.”