WHAT’S BRUIN 10/18: Men’s Soccer Weekly News & Notes
* COMING UP: Bruins Hope to Play “Spoiler” on Eastern Washington Swing
* NWC STATS: Hammer Climbs into Top 10 in Conference in 4 Categories
* COMING UP: Bruins Hope to Play “Spoiler” on Eastern Washington Swing
Oct. 20, 2:30 pm - at Whitman College (4-8-3, NWC 2-5-2), Walla Walla, Wash.
Oct. 21, 2:30 pm - at Whitworth University (10-0-3, NWC 7-0-2), Spokane, Wash.
NEWBERG, Ore. - Coming off a 1-0 overtime loss to Willamette and a well-played 3-0 setback to Linfield, the George Fox Bruins hope to gain some ground in the standings in one game and play the role of “spoiler” in the other as they make the Northwest Conference’s eastern Washington swing this weekend.
The Bruins (2-11-1, NWC 2-7) stop in at Whitman College (4-8-3, NWC 2-5-2) in Walla Walla on Saturday and at nationally-ranked Whitworth University (10-0-3, NWC 7-0-2) on Sunday. Both games kick off at 2:30 p.m. following NWC women’s games at 12:00 noon.
George Fox is tied for 7th in the conference standings with Pacific University, each with 6 points, while Whitman’s Missionaries are in 6th with 8 points. The Whitworth Pirates, meanwhile, lead the league with 23 points, four ahead of Pacific Lutheran, and are ranked 9th in the latest National Soccer Coaches of America Association and 12th in the D3soccer.com poll.
Multimedia: For multimedia opportunities of following the Bruins at Whitman and Whitworth this weekend, visit the host teams’ websites:
Whitman: http://www.whitman.edu/content/athletics/
Whitworth: http://www.whitworthpirates.com/information/insideathletics/livelinks
George Fox (2-11-1, NWC 2-7, 7th T): The Bruins, who were picked 8th in the NWC pre-season poll, had a two-game winning streak snapped with a pair of losses last week. In a defensive struggle with Willamette on Oct. 13, the Bruins fell 1-0 in the fourth minute of overtime despite holding the Bearcats to only five shots on goal. In a 3-0 loss to Linfield on Oct. 14, the Bruins played the Wildcats even in every statistical category - except the most important one.
Whitman (4-8-3, NWC 2-5-2, 6th): The Missionaries from Walla Walla, Wash., were picked 4th in the NWC pre-season poll ... The Missionaries defeated the Bruins 3-1 in their first meeting on Sept. 23 in Newberg ... Last game: After three straight losses, the Missionaries tied 0-0 at Puget Sound on Oct. 14 ... Stats: In NWC stats, Whitman is 3rd in shots (208), shots per game (12.9),saves (65), 4th in fewest goals allowed (18), goals against avg. (1.11), 6th in goals (15, T), assists (9, T), corner kicks (54), 7th in goals average (1.0) ... F Leland Mattheus is 1st in shots (46), 6th in goals (4, T), 7th in points (10), 8th in shots on goal (13, T) ... GK Michael Bathurst is 2nd in saves (58), 4th in goals against avg. (1.14), 5th in save pct. (.773), 7th in fewest goals allowed (17) ... Coach Mike Washington is in his 15th season at Whitman ... Next: Oct. 21 vs. Pacific, 2:30 pm.
Whitworth (10-0-3, NWC 7-0--2, 1st): The Pirates from Spokane, Wash., were picked 2nd in the NWC pre-season poll ... The Pirates are ranked 9th in the latest NSCAA national poll and 12th by D3soccer.com ... The Pirates defeated the Bruins 1-0 in their first meeting on Sept. 22 in Newberg ... The Pirates host Pacific on Saturday before meeting the Bruins ... Last game: Following an eight-game winning streak, the Pirates are 0-2-2 in their last four games, the latest a 1-0 win at Pacific Lutheran on a first-half goal by Samuel Engle ... Stats: In NWC stats, Whitworth is 1st in fewest goals allowed (3), goals allowed avg. (0.22, 2nd in NCAA), 4th in shots (178), shots per game (13.7), 5th in assists (120), corner kicks (66), 6th in goals (15, T), goals average (1.2), 8th in saves (31) ... F Samuel Engle is 6th in goals (4, T), 8th in points (9, T), shots on goal (13, T) ... F Robby Ubben is 1st in game-winning goals (4), 6th in goals (4, T), 9th in shots (30) ... GK Novak is 1st in fewest goals allowed (2), goals against avg. (0.15, 2nd in NCAA), save pct. (.935, 2nd in NCAA), shutouts (11), 8th in saves (29) ... Coach Sean Bushey (Belhaven) is 206-83-35 to date in his 17th season at Whitworth, and 216-89-36 in his 18th season overall ... Next: Oct. 27 at Willamette, 2:30 pm.
* 2012 MEN’S SOCCER HONORS *
Elliott Davis
- Northwest Conference Defensive Student-Athlete of the Week: Aug. 27-Sept. 2 (HM); Sept. 24-30 (HM)
Luke Hammer
- Northwest Conference Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week: Sept. 17-23 (HM); Oct. 1-7
- Bruin Men’s Athlete of the Week: Oct. 1-7
Myles Sorokovsky
- Northwest Conference Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week: Sept. 24-30 (HM)
* NWC STATS: Hammer Climbs into Top 10 in Conference in 4 Categories
In the latest Northwest Conference statistics (thru Oct. 17), George Fox is 1st in saves (79), 7th in shots (166), 7th in shots per game (11.9), 8th in goals (10), goals per game (0.7), assists (5), corner kicks (48), fewest goals allowed (35), goals allowed avg. (2.45) ...
GK Elliott Davis is 3rd in saves (57), 8th in goals allowed (28), save pct. (.671), 9th in goals allowed avg. (2.45) ...
GK Luis Angel Del Rio is 10th in saves (20) ...
M Myles Sorokovsky is 8th in shots on goal 13, T), 10th in game-winning shots (1, T), 11th in shots (28), 14th in goals (3, T) ...
F Luke Hammer is 2nd in shots on goal (18, T), 4th in shots (33), 6th in goals (4, T), 10th in game-winning shots (1, T), 14th in points (8, T) ...
* COACH LUIS DEL RIO:
Head coach Luis Del Rio (Conalep Tech-Mexico ‘84) has a career record to date of 2-11-1 (.179) in his 1st season at George Fox. He picked up his first collegiate win when the Bruins defeated Willamette 1-0 on Sept. 30 in Salem, Ore. Prior to coming to George Fox, he coached Woodburn (Ore.) High School to a 51-4 record in three years, winning state championships in 2010 and 2011 and being named Oregon 5A Coach of the Year in 2010. Click here for the complete profile on Coach Del Rio.