EUGENE, Ore. –The Northwest Christian University women’s soccer team grabbed their first Cascade Collegiate Conference victory of the season on Saturday, knocking off Oregon Tech, 2-0 at Mike Kelly Field.
The victory marks the first-ever at home against the Owls who until last season had never been defeated by the Beacons. NCU has now won two of the last three meetings after a 1-0 non-conference loss earlier in the year. NCU improves to 5-7 on the season, 1-3 in the CCC. OIT drops to 5-6-1, 0-3-1 in conference.
The first shot attempt for either team turned into the first goal of the contest with NCU jumping ahead 1-0 in the 12th minute. A cross from Stevie Harrison, moving right-to-left, found Mishayla Bertelsen in the box where the senior Midfielder struck a ten-foot blast further to the left, past a diving Oregon Tech keeper for the score.
The Beacons went on to make it 2-0 in the 38th minute on a perfectly played set piece. A corner kick from Karlie Mast found its way into the far side of the goalie box where a leaping Mackenzie Galick headed home the score into the upper right corner.
Each team took four shot attempts in the first half. Oregon Tech did all they could in the second half, outshooting the Beacons 7-2, but they were never able to get anything through against a makeshift backline for the Beacons. Without the services of freshman center back Annie Tunstill, missing her first start of the season, freshman Brighton Hebisen got the call for her first career start. Along with Raechel Warren the pair filled in nicely throughout the 90 minutes as the Owls finished the night with just three shots-on-goal.
NCU keeper Kristin Fulbright picked up her fifth shutout of the season, tying NCU’s single-season record. All five of NCU’s victories have been shutouts this season. Fulbright made three saves.
Head Coach Brett Bentley said, “We came in with a definite game plan based on what we have seen of Oregon Tech so far this year in person and on film, but OIT came out and did some different things which created some initial confusion for the girls. We did a tremendous job adjusting and capitalizing getting forward out of our flank positions with number advantages and our first goal was a perfect example of that.”
With three points, Northwest Christian jumps out of the cellar in the CCC and moves into a tie for seventh place. NCU returns to action next Thursday when they head to Washington to take on Northwest University at 3 p.m. Oregon Tech returns home on Thursday, playing host to The College of Idaho, who knocked off No. 1 ranked Concordia University on Saturday, 1-0.