LA GRANDE, Ore. – The EOU men’s soccer team capped off its season in a tough contested battle trailing No. 11 Corban 1-0 for 89 minutes before yielding the second goal with 20 seconds remaining in regulation Saturday afternoon at the EOU Soccer Field.
Before the match, EOU honored its five seniors – Francisco Arroyo, Carlos Peregrina, Julian Wells, Jesus Pelayo and Fredy Rodriguez.
The 11th-ranked Warriors wasted no time getting on the board scoring just seven minutes into the match. Igor Hubenya launched a volley from beyond midfield to find Timur Zhividze inside the 18-yard box. Zhividze proceeded to play the ball to his right and rifled a right-footed curler straight into the upper 90 for the tally.
After the goal, nothing really materialized for the EOU offense as the Blue and Gold recorded just one shot the rest of the first stanza trailing Corban 1-0 at half.
Corban held a 5-1 shot advantage and both teams had one corner kick apiece.
The second half displayed a more revitalized attack for the Mountaineers, launching five shots in the opening 15 minutes of play, including their first attempt on target from junior midfielder Steven Beaudry in the 60th minute.
EOU kept its foot on the gas pedal and continued to pin the Corban backline on its heels’ but shots proved to go wide for the Mounties. In the 80th minute, Wells nearly found the equalizer as the senior leaped into the air for the header but it was denied right at the line by keeper Jordan Farr, who came up with his second save of the night.
With 20 seconds showing before the final whistle, Zhividze added his second goal of the match – 15th of the season, which leads the CCC – as he found himself free behind the EOU backline, settled inside the penalty box and evaded two defenders for the score near post.
At the end of the full 90 minutes, EOU led in shots, 14-11, but only recorded two on frame.
In net, junior keeper Aidan Wright logged four saves in the losing effort.
BY THE NUMBERS
5 – Seniors EOU honored before the game today.
4 – Corner kicks apiece for each squad.
14 – Shots taken by EOU.