Evergreen moved into the fourth and final playoff spot by one point with Saturday's overtime victory over Corban.
Overtime Goal Drops Corban Against Evergreen
BOX SCORE
SALEM, Ore. – After 96-plus minutes of scoreless soccer under rain soaked skies and humid weather, Corban's men's soccer team succumb to a golden goal in the first overtime period and fell to the Geoducks of The Evergreen State College, 1-0, Saturday afternoon at Guido Caldarazzo Stadium.
With heavy rains having hit the Willamette Valley over the past week, today's game was moved to the turf field at South Salem High School in order to help preserve Warrior Field for the final few games of the season.
Today's heart-breaking result drops Corban to 2-9-1 overall and 1-8-0 in Cascade Collegiate Conference play. Meanwhile, Evergreen improves to 4-4-3 overall and 4-3-2 in conference action.
Corban had a chance to score early in the game after Evergreen's goalkeeper attempted to clear the ball, but richochetted off the back of a Geoduck player. With little defensive pressure, Warrior junior Ayouba Moussa (Maradi, Niger) gathered the loose ball and unleashed a shot towards the upper left corner of the goal that was saved by a diving ESC keeper to help preserve the scoreless tie. Over the opening 45 minutes of play, Evergreen held an eight-shot advantage (10-2) and forced Corban's senior goalkeeper Aaron Franklin (Red Bluff, Calif.) to make four of his game-high tying five saves.
The game's final 45 minutes were more evenly played, as both teams combined for 11 shots with Evergreen unleashing six and Corban registering five. Corban had a pair of goals called back when junior Travis Wells (Springfield, Ore.) was whistled for too much physical play in the box. Corban peppered the Geoducks' net early in the second half, while Evergreen returned the favor near the closing seconds of regulation. Unfortunately, neither team could crack its opponent's net therefore forcing the extra period.
In overtime, Corban senior Chris Smerke (Las Vegas, Nev.) had the Warriors' best scoring chance in the 95th minute when he unleashed a shot from 30 yards that was saved by Evergreen's net-minder. Just over two minutes later, Evergreen ended the overtime affair when Corey Johnson snuck a pass from Geoduck teammate Chris Miller under a diving Franklin for his team-leading sixth goal of the season at the 96:20 mark.
Frankin's goalkeeping effort were equaled by Evergreen's Nathan Salveson, who also recorded a game-high tying five saves. The visiting Geoducks out shot Corban by nine (17-8), while Corban won the corner kick battle, 5-3.
Corban will return to the field on Friday, October 23rd, when they host the Coyotes of The College of Idaho in a 4:00 p.m. contest at Warrior Field.