Box Score

SPOKANE, Wash. - A rock-solid Whitworth University defense held the normally high-scoring George Fox University Bruins to a total of three shots, none on goal, as the 12th-ranked Pirates went on to a 2-0 victory in a Northwest Conference women's soccer match Friday here at the Whitworth Soccer Field.

The Bruins, who entered the game third in the conference in shots, goals, assists and points, could mount virtually nothing against the Pirates, who finished with a 27-3 overall advantage in shots and 12-0 in shots on goal.  Whitworth keeper Callie Bergstrom did not have to make a save while posting her sixth shutout of the season.

The Pirates picked up their first goal early in the match when Elizabeth Mattila set up Kara Tisthammer by dribbling past a defender and centering the ball five yards in front of the goal to Tisthammer, who beat George Fox keeper Sally Page for her third goal of the season at 10:11.  Page kept the Bruins close by making seven of her 10 total saves in the first half as the Pirates outshot George Fox 16-1 in the period.

Mattila scored an insurance goal at 65:20 on the second half when she pounced on a loose ball just to the right of the Bruins' net and fired it in for her fifth goal of the year. Tisthammer had sent the ball in for the assist.

The Bruins fell to 12-7 overall and 8-7 in the conference.  The Pirates improved to 14-4-1 overall and 10-4-1 in the NWC, strengthening their chances for a second-place finish to the league champion University of Puget Sound and keeping alive their hopes for an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III National Tournament.

George Fox visits Whitman College Saturday for their final match of 2008, closing out the season with a 12:00 noon start.  Whitworth will host Pacific University on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. to end its regular season.  Both games will be followed by NWC men's contests.