Box Score

SPOKANE, Wash. - Showing why they are the defending Northwest Conference champions despite a deceptive 1-2-1 record to start the season against a tough slate of opponents, the Whitworth College Pirates effectively shut down the league's highest-scoring offense for a 3-0 win in the NWC men's soccer opener for both teams Saturday afternoon here at the Whitworth soccer field.

The Pirates, who reached the NCAA Division III Final Four last season and are a solid choice to win their third straight NWC title this year, got on the board at the 19:00 mark of the first half when Sean Lambrecht rebounded a deflected shot and put the ball back into the net past Bruin keeper Kyle Putnam. Later in the half, Chris Johnson got inside the box and played Putnam out of position before passing to Ali Seyedali for an easy goal, his first of the season, at 40:37.

Lambrecht iced the win when he notched his second goal of the game and third of the season at 57:17 off a cross from Caleb Barnhill. Meanwhile, the Whitworth defense held the Bruins, who had scored 15 goals in their first five games, to five shots total and four on goal, all saved by Kevin Bostock. The Pirates took 18 shots, 10 on goal, with Putnam saving seven.

George Fox, off to the second-best start in team history, suffered its first loss of the season, falling to 4-1-1 and 0-1 in the conference. Whitworth, now 2-2-1 overall and 1-0 in the league, has not lost in its last 20 NWC matches. The last Whitworth loss in NWC play was 2-0 at George Fox on Oct. 17, 2004.

Both teams play again Sunday, George Fox at Whitman College and Whitworth hosting Willamette University at 2:30 p.m. following women's games at 12 noon.