OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Brock Larsen (Jr., D) and Markus Winkler-Cook (Jr., D) scored goals less than three minutes apart in the second half to lead The Evergreen State College to a 2-0 victory over visiting Simpson University on Sunday, Sept. 13 at Geoduck Pitch. Larsen scored at 57:50 and Winkler-Cook added the insurance goal at 60:44.
Luca Viana (Jr., F) of Evergreen earned an assist on both goals. Kolby Juarez (Sr., M) registered an assist on the second goal.
The Geoducks completed non-conference play with an undefeated record of 2-0-2. Simpson, which will begin playing in the Cascade Collegiate Conference next season, fell to 2-5-1.
Evergreen outshot Simpson 14-8 overall and 7-1 in shots on target. Juarez led the Geoducks with four shots, while Noah Blake (Jr., F) added three shots. David Clavijo and Silvestre Quintero each took two shots for the Redhawks.
In the first half, Evergreen gained an 8-1 advantage in shots, but neither team scored. Simpson goalie Julian Mejia made three saves during the first 45 minutes. Evergreen starting goalie Tom Cole (Sr.) did not allow a goal or register a save behind the Geoducks' solid defense in the first half.
Both of Evergreen's goals began with free kicks. On the first scoring play, Viana took a free kick from the left side, sending the ball to Larsen, who scored on a header from 16 yards out. The second goal began with a free kick by Viana about 30 yards in the middle of the field. He passed the ball to Juarez on the ride side. Juarez sent a crossing pass near the goal, and Winkler-Cook tapped the ball from one yard into the lower left side of the goal.
Evergreen goalkeeper Rico Ewell (Jr.), who played the final 45 minutes for the Geoducks, kept the shutout going when he saved a penalty kick by Clavijo at 65:04. Ewell dove to make the save. The ball rebounded into play, and Clavijo took a second shot that hit the crossbar.
The Redhawks created four shots the rest of the way, but two were blocked by Evergreen defenders and two went wide left. The Geoducks had four total shots in the final 25 minutes, including two shots on goal. Mejia was credited with saves for Simpson at 68:54 on a shot by Angel Sandoval (Jr., F) and at 89:08 on a shot by Mario Silva (Jr., M).
Up next for the Geoducks is the start of conference play with a home game against Oregon Tech on Friday, Sept. 18. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. PDT.