CALDWELL, Idaho - An Alex Patino goal in the 38th minute proved to be the game-winner, as Warner Pacific defeated The College of Idaho, 1-0, in Cascade Conference men’s soccer action at Simplot Stadium.
After the Coyotes (4-6, 3-4 CCC) controlled much of the possession in the first 20 minutes of the opening half – earning a pair of corner kicks and a pair of quality shots on goal from Drew Smith that were turned away by WP keeper Sean Ervin, the tide changed.
A Julian Esquivel rocket of a free kick was saved by Coyote keeper Aaron Reynolds in the 31st minute and three minutes later, Reynolds made a diving save on a 25-yard blast from Juan Castillo. The Knights (5-5-1, 5-2) continued the pressure, as Patino collected a free ball well outside the box, turned and laced a low liner into the left corner of the goal to give WP the lead.
The Coyotes nearly tied it three minutes into the second half, as off a corner, Ben Tjaden collected a ball and rammed a shot off the crossbar from just outside the six-yard box. In the 51st minute, Mats Boehnke launched a one-time strike off a Carlos Gomez cross that Ervin had to make a nifty save to keep the Knights in front.
Reynolds kept it 1-0 in the 61st minute, making a fully-extended diving save on a Castillo one-time drive, then watched as an Alija Sacirovic blast from 15-yards out in the 70th minute missed just high.
The Yotes had two final chances in the final five minutes, as a header from Carlos Gomez missed just wide of the target from a Brad Byers cross, then a Byers low drive of a free kick from 20-yards out was cleared off the goal line by the WP defense.
The Knights held a 19-12 edge in shots and a 9-7 edge in corners, with Ervin making four saves for his third-straight shutout win.
The Coyotes, losers of three-straight, step away from conference play on Monday, hosting Northwest Nazarene, at 3 p.m.