EUGENE, Ore. – For the NCU men's soccer team, you couldn't write up a better script. Playing in their final collegiate soccer game, both seniors were instrumental as the Beacons knocked off The Evergreen State College for the first time in school history on Saturday, 1-0. Sam Eymann scored the game-winning goal in the 70th minute and Erik Carrazco made seven saves to pick up the shutout in the victory.
The Geoducks held control during the first half, maintaining an 8-2 lead in shots as they held the Beacons without a shot-on-goal. In fact, the first shot-on-goal of the night for NCU would be the one that mattered. With 69:53 showing on the clock, Josh Bramlett sent a cross from the right side toward the far post. Eymann awaited and collected the pass, firing back into the right side of the net for the game-winner.
The final tally showed Evergreen holding a 15-6 lead in shots with just two shots-on-goal for the Beacons. Collin Harlow recorded one save in the game for the Geoducks while Carrazco had seven for the Beacons to preserve the second shutout win of the season for NCU.
The Beacons (3-15, 3-11) knock off Evergreen for the first time in school history. In 12 previous meetings ESC had collected a 10-0-2 record, winning four straight in the series. The victory also allowed NCU to jump into a tie for seventh place in the CCC at the close of the season.
"I think it is so neat for this group of guys to get this result tonight," said Head Coach Brett Bentley. "We have had a lot of adversity this year and it was difficult from the get go, but these boys weathered the storm and ended on a great note. We were talking in our pregame devotional about Romans 5:4; that we should take the trials and tribulations with good spirits because they produce perseverance, character, and hope. For this group of guys to stick together and continue to trust the coaches and trust one another is tremendous. We finished the year 3-2 and it was great to finish the year stronger than we started it."
Bentley also said that he was excited to see both NCU seniors produce in their final game. He said, "It is special for me to have the two remaining freshman from my first recruiting class get on the field and get the job done for us tonight as seniors. It will be tough to see those guys leave."
The news got worse for Evergreen (7-8-3, 5-7-2) as they discovered that The College of Idaho won their final regular season game on Saturday, 4-1 over Warner Pacific as the Yotes jumped the Geoducks for fourth place in the CCC to clinch the final playoff spot for next week's CCC Tournament.