Northwest's Rachel Saleen with the ball.
Eagles Win Second Straight, Defeat Willamette
SALEM, Ore. - Northwest University's Acacia Johnson scored two second half goals to lift the Eagles over Willamette, 3-2, this afternoon in Salem, Ore., to record their second straight win.
Willamette took the early lead in the game as Irene Vazquez put one in in the 19th minute off an assist from teammate Ariel Wilson. With 5:56 remaining in the half, NU's Stephanie Cummins tied the game 1-1 with her unassisted goal.
Johnson would score her first goal in the 60th minute (59:58) to put Northwest up 2-1 with her breakaway goal as she went one-on-one with the WU goalkeeper and put it low and in the middle of the goal. The Bearcats would come back to tie the game at 2-all as Maddy Grainger would put one in the goal from 6 yards out on the left side at the 70:10 mark.
Johnson would get her second goal and the game winner one minute and 31 seconds later as she would sail one by Willamette's goalkeeper, Nicole Price.
NU goalkeeper Jordan Holmes would keep the Eagles (2-2) in the game and get the win with 6 saves for the game. Price had 4 saves for Willamette (0-2) who edged Northwest in shots, 11-10. Johnson's goals came off her only two shots of the game.
"We didn't want to begin the game a goal down again, but I'm very proud of the team coming back hard," said NU coach Erin Redwine. "It was the most physical game for us so far this season and we battled it out. Our back line showed a great deal of composure and got forward. Jessie Oliver set the standard for us with her effort and Acacia’s (Johnson) goals were first class."
Northwest will have a brief break before they head to Ellensburg, Wash., for a game with Central Washington University, a NCAA Division II team, on Sept. 8.