Northwest Takes CCC Lead with 1-0 Win at Concordia
BOX SCORE : Concordia vs. Northwest
PORTLAND, ORE.—In a key late-season battle for positioning in the CCC, Northwest University used a goal in the 5th minute to down No. 3-ranked Concordia University in women’s soccer action on Friday.
The win now gives Northwest (7-8-2, 6-1-1 CCC) control of its own destiny to unseat the 12-time CCC champion Cavaliers. After starting the year 1-8-0, the Eagles can clinch the regular-season CCC crown with a win at Warner Pacific (1-13-0, 0-8-0 CCC) on Saturday afternoon.
The loss was the first ever for the CU program at its new on-campus stadium and represents the first time the team had fallen twice to a conference foe in the same season since 1999.
After a breakdown on the right side only five minutes into the match, NU’s Lindsey Field and Lizzie Perkins setup the lone score of the game. Following the successive passes, Jessica Oliver headed the ball into the near post from five yards out with the team’s first shot attempt.
The CU defense would clamp down for the rest of the match; allowing just two additional shots over the last 85 minutes. The Concordia offense, meanwhile, would go on to tally 20 shot attempts on the night and finished with an 11-to-0 advantage in corner kicks but were prevented a game-tying goal by NU goalkeeper Patty Hughes, who came up with six saves to preserve the win.
Hughes thwarted close-ranged attacks from Hannah Kimsey, Alex Blalock and McKayla Madison while snaring several dangerous corner kicks away from CU attackers.
“Northwest has been playing well after a rough start and we have hit a loll. We have to find the right trajectory, because we have picked the wrong time to not be playing well,” Landy said.
The Cavaliers title streak can remain alive with a Northwest loss and a win over Evergreen (2-10-1, 2-6-0 CCC) on Sunday afternoon after the team honors its seniors during the team’s final regular season match of the year. The contest will kickoff at 2 p.m. at Tuominen Yard.
“It’s an important game for us to at least lock up a second seed and host the first-round game,” Landy said. “But really I just want a game where we play well for our seniors and honor their work over the last four years.”