EUGENE, Ore. – The Northwest Christian University women’s soccer team ended a four-game losing streak and kept their playoff hopes alive on Friday, shutting out Warner Pacific College, 2-0.
The win put NCU (4-9-1, 2-5-1 CCC) into a tie for ninth in the Cascade Collegiate Conference with the Knights (4-8-1, 2-6-1) as each team has seven points. The College of Idaho and Great Falls each have ten points with three games remaining in the regular season.
The Beacons outshot WPC 15-8 in the game and held the visitors to just one shot on goal, late in the second half. The Knights also had one shot ricochet off the post in the final frame, but they couldn’t convert.
Head Coach
Jessica Cardwell said, “We had a tough last few weeks but we battled back and didn’t let anything distract us. I’m very proud of all our girls but the role our seniors played today was game changing. Maddi Bartholomew, Bryce Branagan-Franco and JaNae Haggard dominated in the midfield in the air and on the ground. Joceline Howard and Amanda Hadsell ran the sidelines well and found feet. Nikki Bevans organized, communicated, and brought a new dimension to our back line. I’m proud of these girls and how they competed today. Everyone put in work and mentally showed up.”
NCU got on the board just before halftime as Branagan-Franco (pictured) lofted a 20-yard free kick from the left corner of the box into the right corner of the goal, over the leaping arms of the Warner Pacific keeper.
Then, just four minutes into the second half, the Beacons added to their lead.
Sierra Graton found
Maggie McCausland with a through-ball and McCausland juked a defender before slotting the ball just to the right of the keeper and into the net.
Freshman
Katie Hastings recorded the shutout for the Beacons, their fourth of the season. She made one save.
The Beacons will return to action on Saturday when they play host to Eastern Oregon University on Saturday at 5 p.m. The Mounties were 2-1 winners over Corban University in overtime on Friday.