Corban sophomore Audrey Sullivan registered a game-high four shots, including two shots on goal, for the Warriors in Saturday's match against Northwest.
Corban Upended in Clash with Northwest
BOX SCORE
SALEM, Ore. – The Warriors fired five shots on goal, but Corban's women's soccer team was edged by Northwest, 1-0, in a soggy Cascade Collegiate Conference-opening contest Saturday on Warrior Field.
Playing in a light rain that persisted throughout the match, both sides had to battle the elements in addition to each other. Despite the conditions, Northwest started strong, pressuring the Corban defense in the opening minutes.
The Eagles broke through in the 10th minute, when Northwest's Acacia Johnson broke away to take teammate Abby Brauer's up-field pass around Corban's last defender at the top of the box and elude charging Warrior sophomore goalkeeper Alexis Beattie. Johnson fired a one-timer into Corban's open net from 15 yards to score what proved to be the eventual game winner.
Northwest took their 1-0 edge into the half, as Beattie and Eagles net minder Jordan Holmes each made one first-period save in turning aside any other scoring opportunities. Corban and Northwest each took four shots in the initial period.
Both teams cranked up the intensity in the second half, as the Warriors fought to score an equalizer. Corban's best scoring opportunity came in the 62nd minute, as junior Emily Tsugawa powered a free kick at the upper left corner from 25 yards that required a leaping fingertip save by Northwest's Holmes. The Warriors threatened again in the 72nd minute, as sophomore Audrey Sullivan's header off a Corban free kick sailed on target at the goal, only to be snatched out of the air for another save by Holmes. The Warrior offense managed four total shots on goal during in the second half, but Holmes saved all four to preserve the shutout for the Eagles.
Northwest directed three shots on goal in the second frame, but freshman keeper Kaitlyn Mendenhall saved all three to keep the Warriors within one goal of the Eagles.
Tempers flared near the end of the match, as four yellow cards were handed out in the final three minutes, including two for a physical confrontation between an Eagle and a Warrior in the final minute. Northwest was able to hold on through the closing carnage to preserve the 1-0 victory.
Northwest keeper Holmes made five saves to shut out the Warriors while playing all 90 minutes between the pipes for the Eagles. Beattie recorded one save while playing the entire first half in goal for Corban, while Mendenhall snared three saves while minding the Warrior net for the final 45 minutes.
With the loss, Corban falls to 5-4-0 overall and 0-1-0 in Cascade Collegiate Conference play. Meanwhile, Northwest moves to 5-2-2 overall with a 1-0-0 mark in conference action. Corban will return to the pitch on Monday, October 3rd, when the Warriors host The Evergreen State College in a match scheduledto kick off at 4:00 p.m. on Warrior Field.