Concordia's Hannah Kimsey (#2) had a goal and an assist in the Cavaliers' 2-0 win over Southern Oregon on Sunday.
Cavs Top SOU 2-0 in Battle of Unbeatens
BOX SCORE - Concordia vs. Southern Oregon
PORTLAND, Ore.—In a match between the last two unbeaten teams in CCC play, the No. 1-ranked Concordia women’s soccer team defeated Southern Oregon 2-0 on Sunday.
The result leaves Concordia as the only remaining undefeated team in the Cascade Collegiate Conference as the Cavaliers improved to 9-0-2 overall and 3-0-0 in conference play with the result. The Raiders, meanwhile, dropped to 6-4-2 overall and 2-1-1 in the CCC.
“Today was a really important match for us,” said CU head coach Grant Landy. “We knew they were going to be organized and give us their best shot.”
SOU’s best shot proved potent too as the Raiders held Concordia to its lowest shot total this season (12), while forcing Concordia goalkeeper Tori Talbutt into making a season-high three saves in the match.
Still, Concordia managed the pressure well and got all the offense it needed in a two-minute burst in the first half that featured two highlight-reel goals.
Jasmin Ayala and Hannah Kimsey traded off scoring and assisting on the Cavaliers’ two goals Sunday, with Ayala breaking through first in the 18th minute of the match.
Kimsey fed Ayala the ball on the play after Kimsey had brought the ball through a crowd of SOU defenders into the Cavaliers’ attacking third. Ayala still had a crowd of people around her when she received the ball, but somehow found room to put a rainbow shot on goal from 18 yards out. The shot looked high for the majority of its trajectory, but bent down just in time to sneak in under the crossbar and into the net.
“Jasmin’s goal was fantastic,” said Landy. “It’s definitely one of the best goals of the year so far.”
Ayala got right back to work following the goal though, as she came back to assist on Kimsey’s score just 1:44 after her own.
Senior Jenna Peterson actually started the play, as she sent a free kick into the box. From there, the ball got batted around until it popped into the air near Ayala. At that point, Ayala out jumped a crowd of Raiders to head the ball to Kimsey a few feet ahead of her. Kimsey had her back to the goal when the ball came to her feet, but, in one motion, swung her leg around to direct the ball on frame. Kimsey’s trickery masked her shot from the SOU goalkeeper and tucked just inside the far post from nine yards out.
Concordia rode the momentum of the goals to finish a strong first half in which they outshot SOU 7-to-4.
SOU started to get something going offensively at the end of the first half though when SOU’s Megan McArthur put a hard shot on the Cavaliers goal in the 43rd minute of the match. SOU earned the chance after a couple SOU players beat the Cavalier defense on the right side of the field. Concordia eventually got the ball near the top-right corner of the box, but the Cavs’ clearance went directly to McArthur in the middle of the field. From there, McArthur fired the ball hard on the ground and towards the right post, but the Cavaliers’ Talbutt was there to make a diving save.
Talbutt’s save kept the score 2-0 heading into the half, but SOU came out firing again at the start of the second period.
The Raiders had a really good possession right at the start of the second half when they held the ball inside the Cavaliers’ box for a long time. The Raiders had a couple of looks for a score on the possession, but it ended when SOU’s Sydney Paulsen hit a shot that just barely skidded of the crossbar and out.
“Psychologically we have to know that a team who is two goals down is going to claw and scratch to try and get back in it,” said Landy. “They came out really aggressive in the second half, but we had a bend don’t break mentality and were able to keep them out of the goal.”
The Cavalier offense eventually picked it up in the second half too, as the team put all five of their second-half shots on frame.
“We’ve been pounding it into the team that they need to put more shots on frame, which they did a job of today as eight of our 12 shots today were on goal,” said Landy. “When you put your shots on frame, good things will eventually happen.”
Concordia’s offensive pressure in the second half nearly netted the team a third goal in the match too when the Cavaliers’ Hayley Hayes drew SOU’s goalkeeper off her line and put a shot on frame in the 72nd minute. Unfortunately for the Cavs, SOU’s Sara Dutra hustled back to the goal line and flicked the ball away for the save.
Dutra’s heads-up play kept the match at 2-0, though Concordia remained in control from that point on. SOU had just one shot in the final 22 minutes of the match and it came on a desperation attempt with 44 seconds remaining. After that attempt sailed wide, the Cavaliers melted the rest of the clock to complete their seventh shutout of the season.
Talbutt played all 90 minutes of the match for Concordia to record her fourth individual shutout this year.
“I thought Tori had a very good game today,” said Landy. “We played the ball to her a lot in order to relieve some of the pressure and she did a good job clearing it for us.”
Meanwhile, SOU’s goalkeeper Katelyn Allen played all 90 minutes for the Raiders and finished with five saves of her own.
Overall, Concordia outshot the Raiders 12-to-8, while also recording an 8-to-3 advantage in shots on goal and a 4-to-0 advantage in corner kicks.
Next up, Concordia begins a four-game road trip with a match against The College of Idaho at 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 12. Southern Oregon, meanwhile, heads back home to Ashland, Ore. and will host Corban at 3 p.m. on Friday.