Geoducks Beat Conference-Leading Cavaliers
OLYMPIA –
Juan Lopez curled the opening goal into the right corner of the net just 3:45 into the match Tuesday afternoon and The Evergreen State College carried that momentum to a 3-1 Cascade Collegiate Conference men's soccer victory over first-place Concordia at Geoduck Pitch.
With the victory, the Geoducks stayed in the hunt for the conference lead, improving their CCC record to 4-2-1 and their overall mark to 4-5-1. The Cavaliers are now 5-2-0 in the conference and 6-4-0 overall.
Lopez put Evergreen on the front foot, receivng a pass on the left wing from
Willie Spurr, taking a touch and hitting a shot over the outstretched hand of goalkeeper Arne Niermann and into the right side of the goal. The tally was the second of the season for Lopez.
Evergreen added to that advantage at 38:02 on
Albert Anabtawi's first goal of the season.
Ethan Sumlin's cross from the right wing skipped through the box all the way to Anabtawi on the left, and Niermann could only get a piece of Anabtawi's shot before the ball bounced into the goal.
The two goals were evidence of an outstanding first 45 minutes for the Geoducks, who held a 5-2 advantage in shots.
The Cavaliers had most of the play in the second half, taking seven shots to three for the Geoducks, but the home defense was so stout that only one of those efforts was on frame. The Cavaliers' only shot on goal came at the 69:55 mark and it resulted in a goal. Cody Guthrie put a long ball into the top of the penalty box and B.J. Romac rose to head it just before the arrival of Evergreen keeper
Angel Guerra. The ball bounced into the goal, making the score 2-1 with 20 minutes remaining.
Needing a goal to tie, Concordia continued pressing up the field, and that opened up its defense. Evergreen took advantage in the closing minutes.
Tanner Williams beat a defender down the right wing, turned the corner and dribbled toward goal, drawing the defense to himself. His perfectly weighted chip to the far post found Sumlin, who headed in from about six yards out for his second goal of the season.
Concordia ended up with a 9-8 shot advantage, though Evergreen put seven of their efforts on goal to just one for the Cavaliers. For Concordia, Niermann and substitute Mitch McCaw both finished with two saves.
"We've been searching to try to find which team we are, and I think we really found out today that we work hard, we're creative, we get forward and can score goals against a great team," Evergreen head coach
John Purtteman said. "Concordia has always set the standard. Great individual performances by lots of guys. It was very cool."
Evergreen returns to conference action at 3 p.m. Saturday when they face the Northwest University Eagles in Kirkland.