Sophomore Abigail Van Hoogen netted the first game-winning goal of her career Monday against the visiting Hustlin' Owls of Oregon Tech.
Corban Clips OIT Owls in Crucial CCC Contest
BOX SCORE
SALEM, Ore. – Three different members of Corban's women's soccer team scored in its 3-0 victory over the visiting Hustlin' Owls of Oregon Tech in a crucial Cascade Collegiate Conference game Monday on Warrior Field.
Despite a scoreless opening 39-plus minutes, the host Warriors controlled the offensive flow from the opening whistle and nearly scored in the 25th minute when Audrey Sullivan unleashed a rocket shot from 18 yards out that ricocheted off the cross bar before being cleared away by OIT's defense en route to keeping the game without any goals.
At the 39:19 mark just over one minute after entering the game, Corban's Abigail Van Hoogen netted her third goal of the season off an assist from Tera McDonough to put the home team up by a single goal. Van Hoogen's goal would turn out the be the game-winner, as she netted the first game-winning goal of her career.
Clinging to a one-goal lead at halftime, Corban nearly added an insurance goal in the 61st minute when Rachel Cole unleashed a shot from the top of the penalty area that hit off the cross bar. The Warriors' initial shot found the awaiting foot of McDonough, who attempted to send the rebound into the back of the net but unfortunately sent a shot wide to the right.
Just under 20 minutes later, Corban added its second goal of the afternoon when Emily Tsugawa took a throw-in from Cole on the far sideline. In one motion, Tsugawa send a turn-around looping shot up and over the out-stretched arm of OIT's keeper into upper right corner. Tsugawa's sixth goal of the season came from 25 yards out and put the Warriors up by a pair of goals, 2-0.
Two minutes later, Sullivan teamed with Tsugawa and Amanda Mendenhall on the game's final goal. Off a free kick by the Warriors, Mendehall headed the ball forward to an awaiting Tsugawa, who sent a through ball behind Oregon Tech's defense to Sullivan as she struck a low rolling shot underneath OIT keeper for her team-leading seventh goal of the season.
Offensively, Corban controlled every facet of the game from total shots (19-to-4) to shots on goal (8-to-3) to corner kicks (6-to-1).
Corban's goalkeeper Alexis Beattie made three saves en route to picking up the victory and her first shutout of the season, while Oregon Tech's Rebekah Matteri tallied a game-high five saves despite suffering the loss.
With today's victory, Corban improves to 7-5-0 overall and evens its Cascade Collegiate Conference record at 2-2-0. Meanwhile, Oregon Tech falls to 4-4-1 overall and 2-2-0 in league games. The Hustlin' Owls will hit the field next on October 12th against Trinity Lutheran in Klamath Falls, while the Warriors will return to action on October 15th against the NAIA's No. 5-ranked Concordia in Portland.