Senior Emily Tsugawa scored the game's lone goal in the 35th minute, as Corban opened its 20th season of intercollegiate play with a 1-0 victory over Vancouver Island Wednesday.
Corban Opens Season With Shutout Victory Over Mariners of Vancouver Island
BOX SCORE
SALEM, Ore. – Kicking off its 20th season of intercollegiate competition, Corban University's women's soccer team used a goal in the 35th minute by senior Emily Tsugawa to earn a hard-fought victory over Vancouver Island, 1-0, Wednesday on Warrior Field.
Despite giving up the first two shots of the game in the opening 19 minutes, the host Warriors seized control over the final 26 minutes taking five more shots that VIU (7-2) that included Tsugawa's 32nd goal of her career.
At the 34:48 mark, freshman Katelyn Weaver would take a long pass from fellow freshman Randi Donahue along the far sideline before looping a perfectly placed one-touch crossing ball to Tsugawa. As the pass was approaching the 18-yard box, Tsugawa would step behind a challenging Mariner defender to collect the ball before eluding VIU’s oncoming keeper with a shot into the lower right corner for Corban’s first goal of the season.
Less than a minute later, Corban has a perfect opportunity to increase its lead when Weaver found herself one-on-one with VIU's keeper only to have her scoring angle cut down forcing a shot just right of the goal.
Neither team would register much firepower over the final 10 minutes of the opening half, as Corban's sophomore goalkeeper Kaitlyn Mendenhall closed out her time between the pipes with one save on four shots.
In the second half, Corban would get another golden opportunity in the 66th minute when Weaver collecting a crossing pass from junior Audrey Sullivan and found herself unguarded in front of the goal. Unfortunately for Weaver, a Vancouver Island defender got between her shot and the goal to clear the ball away.
Three minutes later, Corban would get two more scoring chances off the feet of Sullivan and junior Emily Boudreau only to have VIU's keeper come up big with a pair of saves to keep the Mariners' deficit at one goal.
In the game's final three-plus minutes, Vancouver Island began to apply the offensive pressure starting with the Mariners' Kim Watson unleashing a shot at the 86:31 mark that was blocked by a Corban defender awarding VIU a corner kick.
Vancouver Island would get one last scoring opportunity in the final 30 seconds, as the Mariners were awarded a corner kick. With all 10 players up in the attacking position for VIU, Corban's defense was able to collect the corner kick and clear it away from danger en route to preserving its one-goal win.
Junior Alexis Beattie would step between the pipes for the final 45 minutes for Corban, as she did not need to record a save thanks to the Warriors' defense that allowed just one shot for VIU in the second half.
Vancouver Island was led offensively by five different players with a shot each, while Shelby Walker registered a game-high four saves despite allowing the game's only goal.
As a team, Corban registered 11 shots versus Vancouver Island's five. The Warriors controlled the offensive side of the ball thanks to six shots on goal, while VIU earned three more corner kicks (6-to-3) on the stat sheet.
With today's victory, Corban improves to 1-0-0 on the young season and extends its season-opening unbeaten streak to four years (3-0-1). Meanwhile, Vancouver Island opens its season at 0-1-0 and will next take on fellow CCC member Warner Pacific tomorrow. The Warriors will return to action on Monday, August 27th, against Trinity Lutheran beginning at 4:00 p.m. on Warrior Field in Salem.