EUGENE, Ore. – The Northwest Christian University men’s soccer team was outshot 19-5 on Friday afternoon, and was shutout by Cascade Collegiate Conference leading Concordia University, 3-0.
Despite the outcome, the second loss to the Cavaliers this season, head coach Brett Bentley was pleased with how his team performed. “I definitely feel like we were more competitive against them than we were the first time,” he said. “We weren’t playing scared and we gave ourselves more opportunities to score.”
Concordia got their first goal of the game in the 19th minute. NCU was trying to clear the ball out of the box, but a clearance pass ricocheted off a downed player for the Cavaliers and bounced back in the air towards the goal. Sophomore Forward Jared Brace (pictured) was the benefactor of the gift loose-ball and headed in a strike past Beacon Goalkeeper Nick Kratzke for what would be the game winner.
The score remained 1-0 deep into the second half when Brace would score to make it 2-0 off another NCU miscue. A Cavalier cross went high into the box and was headed high into the air. The Beacons were unable to react quickly enough, leaving Brace unmarked. The striker proceeded to hit a solid ten-yard finish into the back of the net.
The Cavaliers went on to add one more insurance goal with just under four minutes to play. Shaunovan Wilson sent a through ball to Mike Chamberlain and the freshman Forward went one-on-one against Kratzke and chipped the ball over and in.
Northwest Christian had just five shots in the game and managed just one shot on goal, a hard hit strike from 35 yards out off the foot of Juan Guitron.
The Beacons will be back in action on Saturday afternoon, playing host to Corban University at 3:00 pm. NCU knocked off the Warriors in Salem earlier this season, 4-3.