Forest Grove, Ore. – With less than 10 minutes to play in a scoreless draw, the Corban University Women’s Soccer team (2-0, 0-0) found the back of the net to secure a 1-0 victory over NCAA DIII Pacific University (0-0) on the Boxers’ home turf. The contest was slated as an exhibition for the Boxers, but the Warriors decided to count the contest towards their overall record at the beginning of the season.
“The team battled hard for 90 minutes against a tough Pacific side,” Warriors’ Head Coach Whitney Pitalo shared.
“They started strong and gave us a ton of problems, but I was proud of the team’s response in the second half. Their ability to convert off a set piece like we’ve been working on in training was amazing to see come to fruition,” Pitalo went on to say.
The Warriors and Boxers gutted out a scoreless and physical first half of action Wednesday night, with over 15 fouls (12 for Pacific, 3 for Corban) and a yellow card called in the initial 45 minutes.
Each team had a corner kick opportunity, but each failed to convert on all their opportunities. Pacific managed one more shot than Corban did (4 vs 3), but they were both knotted at two shots on goal (SOG) apiece in a defensive showdown. Junior defender Jamine Biava led the Warriors with two of the team’s total shots, including one on goal.
The intensity continued to increase following the halftime break, but still with nothing to show for it on the scoreboard for neither the Warriors nor Boxers. Corban’s offense was determined to put the ball in the back of the net, outshooting Pacific 9-4 in the second half alone, with the game-winning goal coming in the 83rd minute.
Starting in her first game for the Navy and Gold, sophomore forward Alysia Alvarado found pay dirt off a rebounded free kick from the foot of senior midfielder Mei Suetsugu. About 10 yards outside the Boxers’ penalty box, Suetsugu drew the foul and took the free kick, which skimmed off the turf and into the shins of Pacific goalkeeper Kylie Pascual, providing Alvarado with the golden opportunity to slam the ball past the diving hands of Pascual.
Seven minutes later, the Warriors shook hands, packed up, and began the trip back down the I-5 corridor to Salem with another non-conference victory under their belts.
Warriors’ junior goalkeeper Makida Herbert (2-0) picks up her second win of the season after securing five saves in front of the nylon netting in her first shutout win of the year. Pacific’s Pascual nabbed nine saves for the Boxers, but was unable to wrangle the only scoring shot of the contest.
Corban Women’s Soccer will play a friendly scrimmage tomorrow afternoon at Linfield University, before facing fellow Oregon capital school and Salem rival Willamette University next Tuesday, August 30th, in a road exhibition match for the Warriors at 6pm PT.
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