Corban's Arsinio Walker (right) scored his team-high fourth game-winning goal of the season with 8:59 on the clock in the second overtime period, as the Warriors defeated C of I to advance to the CCC Championship finals.
Corban Advances to CCC Championship Finals on Walker's Golden Goal
BOX SCORE
SALEM, Ore. – Sixty-one seconds into the fourth period of play, Arsinio Walker scored the game-winning goal helping Corban University advanced to the Cascade Collegiate Conference Championship finals with a 1-0 double overtime victory over The College of Idaho Tuesday at Sparks Field on the campus of Willamette University.
Tuesday's semifinal game was moved to Willamette's turf field due to unplayable field conditions on Corban's home pitch, Warrior Field.
Corban (15-1-2) played its second straight overtime game, as the Warriors improved to 2-0-2 on the season in games going beyond regulation. The College of Idaho (6-13-0) concluded their season in heart-breaking fashion, as the Coyotes battled all throughout the night with the Warriors until the final goal.
For over 101 minutes, neither team could find the back of the net with The College of Idaho providing the pressure in the first half followed by Corban reversing things in the second half. The overtime periods were very evenly matched, as the host Warriors took advantage of the only shot in the second extra frame to put home the game-winner.
Corban's game-winning goal would come off a set play just in front of the Warriors' bench, as C of I was whistled for a foul within the first minute of play. The Warriors' Tim Kagey would line up the free kick, as he lofted a pass into the box that was headed into an open area by the goal by Bobby Hutchin. In a foot race with C of I's goalkeeper, Walker got his head on the ball before the goalie and knocked in his fifth shot of the game to score his fifth goal of the season sending the Warriors and their home fans onto the field in celebration.
In the opening six-plus minutes of the game, both teams had a chance to start the scoring with Walker putting a ball on target only to have C of I's Cristian Sanchez clear the ball away from danger before it went into a wide-open net. The College of Idaho had a pair of scoring chances both off the foot of Jamie Valle in the fifth and seventh minutes, as the Yote forward had the best chance at the 6:01 mark when he attempted to heel touch a ball into the back of the net only to have Corban's freshman goalkeeper Jordan Farr reach up and snag the ball with one hand preventing it from going over the end line.
Both teams would register six total shots in the first half, as Corban put one more (4-to-3) on target than C of I.
The second half would begin with Corban controlling the offensive flow, as the Warriors registered the first three shots before C of I was able to get its first. Corban would register three more shots than The College of Idaho (9-to-6) in the second 45 minutes of play, but neither team could not find the back of the net forcing extra periods.
In the first overtime period, The College of Idaho would get the first two shots and have the potential game-winning goal waved off due to an offside call. C of I's Joseph Bolin had the Coyotes' best two scoring chances in the first overtime, as he pulled Farr off his line only to have the Warriors' defense break up any scoring chance as well as Bolin being the player whistled for offside just before he slotted a shot into the back of the net at the 96:51 mark.
After C of I was awarded the opening kick off to start the second overtime period, the Warriors quickly gained control with Kellen Luey drawing a foul in front of Corban's bench that set up the aforementioned game-winning goal by Walker.
Farr and C of I's Colin Benham-Marin tied with a game-high five saves each, while Corban registered four more shots (18-to-14) than The College of Idaho. The host Warriors also put two more shots (7-to-5) on target, as both teams earned seven corner kicks on the night.
Corban will advance to its first CCC Championship game since 1998, as the Warriors will take on No. 3 seed Concordia on Saturday, November 16th, beginning at 1:00 p.m. on Warrior Field in Salem.