FOREST GROVE, Ore. - Unplayable field conditions at George Fox University's Morse Field forced the Bruins to move their season home finale to Pacific University's Lincoln Park Stadium here Saturday afternoon, where the Boxers handed the Bruins a 3-1 setback in their Northwest Conference season-ending men's soccer game.

Thunder, lightning, hail, and torrential rains hit the Bruins' natural grass field in Newberg in the early afternoon, forcing an eventual cancellation of the George Fox women's game vs. Pacific Lutheran University which was at halftime.  With standing water several inches deep at some of the lower spots on the field and the potential for serious injury to a player considered too great, game officials and coaches agreed to move the men's game over to the artificial turf on the Pacific field, where play got under way shortly after 3:00 p.m. after an original start time of 1:30 p.m. 

It was critical that the game be played, as Pacific was still in the running for a possible share of first place in the conference.  Although the Boxers got the win they needed, both league-leading Whitworth University and second-place Pacific Lutheran University also won, leaving Pacific in third with a final overall record of 14-3-2 and a conference slate of 10-2-2.  George Fox finished eighth in the league at 2-12, with an overall mark of 5-14.

The Boxers took an early lead when Jasem Jaihouni scored his eighth goal of the season on an indirect free kick from 22 yards straight on.  The Bruins answered with the equalizer only 24 seconds later when Brennan Altringer crossed from the right corner to Keith Marshall at the near post, and he sent a bullet to the far corner of the net past Andrew Stevermer for his second score of the season.  

Pacific notched the winning goal at the 28:17 mark as Devin Shull took a cross from the right side of the penalty box by Taylor Kane and headed it home out of a big crowd for his initial goal of the season.  The Boxers added an insurance score at 57:04 in the second half when Jaihouni crossed from the right corner to Kevin Fujimoto coming into the box, and he drove it to the back of the net for the fourth time this season.

The Boxers out-shot the Bruins 26-8, including 8-3 in shots on goal, and held an 11-1 advantage in corner kicks.  Stevermer had two saves, while George Fox keeper Jake Maguire made five saves. 

While the Bruins' season is over, the Boxers retain some hope of an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III National Tournament.  They will not know their fate, however, until some time late Sunday when the NCAA Selection Committee will announce the field for the playoffs.