Junior Aaron Franklin recorded a game-high three saves tonight, but Corban dropped its first game of the season to cross town rival Willamette.
Capital Cup Tapped Away From Corban for First Time
BOX SCORE
SALEM, Ore. – In the final game of the Capital Classic, Corban's men's soccer team fell to cross town rival and Classic co-host Willamette, 1-0, Saturday at Sparks Field to send the Capital Cup to the Bearcats for the first time in the trophy's three-year history.
Willamette freshman Erik Kaufman scored unassisted on a tap-in at 67:44 and the Bearcats kept the Warriors out of the net for the remainder of the game en route to claiming the Capitol Cup, which goes to the winner of the Willamette-Corban game each season. It was the third Capitol Cup meeting between the two teams, as Corban won the cup in '06 (4-2) and '07 (3-1).
The game-winning goal began when Corban junior net-minder Aaron Franklin (Red Bluff, Calif.) saved a Bearcat shot via a deflection. Unfortunately for Franklin and the Warriors, the deflected shot went right to Kaufman who promptly deposited the ball into the back of the net for the game-winner.
Willamette's game-winning goal came as Corban was playing a man-down due to a pair of yellow cards handed out to junior Jared Rust (Palo Cedro, Calif.). Rust exited the game at 46:48, which forced the Warriors to play 10-on-11 for the remainder of the contest.
After a very even first half, Willamette controlled the offensive flow over the final 45 minutes. The host Bearcats registered six more shots (8-2) than the Warriors in the second half for a final difference of 12-6.
Franklin played the entire game between the pipes for Corban and made a game-high three saves. On the other end of the field, Willamette splits halves with its keepers as Mark Bennett and Eben Hellekson each saw 45 minutes in goal. The duo combined to record one save en route to picking up the victory.
Fellow Cascade Collegiate Conference member Warner Pacific took home the Capital Classic trophy after defeating George Fox, 8-2, in Saturday's opener to go unbeaten in two games. Meanwhile, Corban and Willamette tied for second going 1-1 each with the Warriors claiming the runner-up spot due to goal differential. NCAA Division III member George Fox finishing fourth overall at 0-2.
With the loss, Corban falls to 1-1-0 on the young season. Meanwhile, Willamette finds itself at 1-1-0 after its opening weekend. The Warriors are back in action on Tuesday, September 2nd, when they host the Boxers of Pacific University in the 3rd annual Soccer Under the Lights game beginning at 7:30 p.m. on Warrior Field.