Wolves Fall to Warner Pacific University in Conference Opener
WWU Sports Information
College Place, Wash. – Walla Walla kicked off their 2019 Cascade Collegiate Conference season, hosting the Knights of Warner Pacific University at the WWU Soccer Field. Despite scoring the first goal of the match, the Wolves (2-4, 0-1 CCC) could not overcome the Knights (5-1, 1-0 CCC attack, dropping the match 3-2.
The Wolves struck first in the 10
th minute after Eric Baer placed a ball perfectly through the Knights defense, finding Emmett Semple, who converted the pass and found the back of the net to give the Wolves a 1-0 lead in the early stages of their CCC season. The Knights, however, found a quick equalizer, scoring off the leg of Omar Alcazar six minutes later. The Knights found another goal 10 minutes later, as Oscar Padilla found open space and created a perfect scoring opportunity for Arturo Bahena, who scored the cross into the box, giving the Knights a 2-1 lead halfway through the opening half. The Wolves had multiple scoring opportunities to tie up the match; however, they could not convert those opportunities and would go into the half trailing 2-1.
Coming out of the half, both teams battled back-and-forth, as the intensity picked up with each team receiving a yellow card in the first 15 minutes. The Wolves finally broke through the Knights defense, scoring the equalizer goal in 59
th minute. Carlos Cantu placed a perfect through ball and Emmett Semple, who took a few dribbles before placing the ball just past the goalkeepers’ outstretched hands and converted his second goal of the match and tied the score 2-2.
Unfortunately for the Wolves, the Knights wasted no time in breaking the 2-2 tie. Arturo Bahena dribbled a few times after Franklin Cordon was able to place a ball through the Wolves defense and converted his second goal of the match in the 65
th minute.
In the 67
th minute, the Wolves had an opportunity to tie up the match, but a Bubbacarr Manneh header missed wide left. The Knights would lock down on defense, prohibiting the Wolves from finding their equalizer despite multiple Wolves opportunities near the end of the match. The Knights held on for a 3-2 victory to pick up their first win of the conference season.
The Wolves continue their season on Sunday, September 22 at 2:30 p.m. when they host the Lions of Multnomah (0-5, 0-0 CCC) at the WWU Soccer Complex. The Knights continue their road trip, traveling to Rocky Mountain College (1-2, 0-0 CCC) in Billings, Mont. On Sunday, September 22 at 2:30 p.m.