NEWBERG, Ore. - A rebound goal by Keith Kirsch
in the first overtime enabled the Whitworth University Pirates to
nip the George Fox University Bruins 1-0 in a Northwest Conference
men's soccer match Saturday afternoon here at Morse Field and set
up a showdown Sunday for first place in the NWC with the Pacific
University Boxers.
Whitworth's narrow victory over the upset-minded Bruins moved
the Pirates to 10-2-2 overall and 8-1-1 in league play.
Pacific is also 8-1-1 in the NWC after a 3-0 win over Whitman
College on Saturday. George Fox, playing perhaps its finest
defensive game of the season, fell to 4-11 overall and 1-9 in the
conference.
The Pirates were in offensive control virtually throughout the
game, taking 10 shots to the Bruins' one in the first half and 13
to the home team's four in the second half. Whitworth also
collected seven corner kick opportunities to none for George Fox,
but the Pirates were stymied at every turn by Bruin goalie
Jake Maguire, who made 11 saves.
The Pirates' best chance to score came just four-and-a-half
minutes before the end of regulation time. Justin Meyer, who
was an honorable mention All-Conference performer for the Bruins as
a freshman in 2007 before transferring to Whitworth, broke free in
the middle of the penalty box for a 12-yard attempt but his line
drive hit the left post and bounced back into play, where the
Bruins were able to clear the dangerous ball. Elly Bulega had
a good header opportunity for the Pirates just 16 seconds from the
end but once again Maguire was on the spot to send the match into
overtime.
It appeared as if the Bruins would pull off the stunning upset
30 seconds into the extra period when Jon Gutierrez threaded a pass
through to Brennan Altringer coming in from the right at full
speed. Altringer sent a bullet toward the far post, the
Bruins' only shot on goal of the entire game, but Pirate keeper
Brian Sherpe made the only save of the day he needed to make,
diving to his right to corral the attempt.
Given a reprieve, the Pirates seized an opening almost five
minutes later. Taylor Willi near the right post angled a shot
toward the far post that was stopped but not controlled by a diving
Maguire, and Kirsch was in perfect position to send the rebound
back into the net for the game-winner, his third goal of the
season, at the 95:16 mark.
George Fox hosts Whitman while Whitworth and Pacific battle for
sole possession of first place in the conference in Forest Grove,
Ore., Sunday, both games starting at 2:30 p.m.
