SALEM, Ore. – In its 2021 home opener, the NAIA's No. 16-ranked Corban University men's soccer team continued its clean sheet streak defeating the Hustlin' Owls of Oregon Institute of Technology, 3-0, in Cascade Collegiate Conference action Sunday afternoon at the CFC Soccer Complex.
"I was disappointed with how we performed today," said head coach
Tim Kagey. "It is always nice to get three points on a bad day, which speaks to the level of the group. We are looking forward to the rematch tomorrow."
With the win, Corban remains unbeaten improving to 5-0 overall, 3-0 in Cascade Collegiate Conference play. Meanwhile, Oregon Tech drops to 3-3 overall, 1-2 in conference action.
For the second time this season, the Navy and Gold got on the scoreboard within the opening 10 minutes. This time, Corban would earn back-to-back corner kicks with Matheus Giron guiding a perfectly placed ball into the box where Evan Hoover completed the play by heading the ball into the back of the net scoring his first goal of the year to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead in the game's eighth minute.
Neither team would score again in a hard-fought first half, as Oregon Tech slimly out shot Corban, 4-3, over the opening 45 minutes of play.
In the second half, Corban quickly had a chance to increase its lead when the Warriors were awarded a penalty kick. Unfortunately, the Navy and Gold tried to get a little tricky when Charles Cleyton attempted to set-up one of his teammates for a goal only to be whistled for a Warrior player entering the penalty area too soon.
Following Corban's opportunity to double its lead, Oregon Tech turned up the offensive pressure registering back-to-back corner kicks and three shots over a 62-second span. Fortunately for the Warriors, none of OIT's shots were able to find the back of the net with two being blocked by a defender and the third sailing high over the crossbar.
In the 71
st minute, Corban would take advantage of its second penalty kick of the afternoon when Giron netted his seventh goal of the season. After drawing an OIT foul in the box, Giron stepped up to the circle and calmly directed his shot into the lower right corner of the goal past a diving OIT keeper.
Less than two minutes later, Giron would connect with Warrior teammate Eric Bengana on a perfect give-and-go play. Giron would start the play by dribbling down the center of the field before dropping a pass off the Bengana along the near sideline. Without hesitation, Bengana cut back toward the middle of the field drawing an OIT defender his way. Before having the ball taken away, Bengana dropped a through ball back to Giron, who deposited his team-leading eighth goal of the season into the back of the net increasing Corban's lead to three goals in the 74
th minute.
Over the game's final 16 minutes, neither team could muster much offense resulting in the 3-0 victory for the host Warriors.
Defensively, Corban registered its fifth straight shutout to open the 2021 season. So far this season, the Navy and Gold has outscored its opponents, 27-0, and allowed only nine shots on goal through five games.
Corban did allow Oregon Tech to unleash a season-best seven shots against its defense. Despite that statistics, the Warriors totaled two more shots – 9-to-7 – than OIT that included a 6-3 advantage in the second half.
Corban's goalkeeper Justin Keegan pushed his season-opening scoreless streak to 360 minutes, as he registered a pair of saves between the pipes for the Warriors. Meanwhile, Oregon Tech's Mitchell Jillson recorded a game-high five saves in goal of the Owls.
These same two teams will square off again tomorrow – Monday, March 15 – when Corban and Oregon Tech return to the pitch for a scheduled 3:00 p.m. kick off at the CFC Soccer Complex.