NEWBERG, Ore. – Xavier Reed headed in the game-winning goal off a corner kick with a little over two minutes left in the game, giving the visiting Linfield College Wildcats a 2-1 victory over the George Fox University Bruins in a Northwest Conference men's soccer match Sunday afternoon here at the Austin Sports Complex.

The teams came into the contest tied for seventh in the conference standings, both at 0-7-1, so something had to give.  With the late win, Linfield improved to 2-9-1 overall and 1-7-1 in the NWC, while George Fox slipped to 2-10-1 overall and 0-8-1 in the league. 

Linfield took the first six shots of the game but did not score.  George Fox finally got a scoring opportunity and made it count at the 27:23 mark in the first half.  Michael Graham intercepted a Linfield clearing attempt near the right sideline, dribbled to the baseline and into the box, and centered the ball to Luke Hammer, who hammered a shot into the left corner of the net for his seventh goal of the season and third in the last two days.

The Wildcats retaliated quickly against their Yamhill County rivals, taking only 65 seconds to knot the score.  Geoff Kunita drove the baseline and when George Fox goalkeeper Elliott Davis and a couple of Bruin defenders moved over to challenge him, he threaded the ball through to Eric Gutierrez coming down the middle for an easy shot into a wide-open net.  It was the first goal of the season for Gutierrez.

After controlling the first half (Linfield took nine first-half shots to three for the home team), the Wildcats again dominated play in the second half with nine shots taken to only two for George Fox, but the Bruin defense held and the game appeared headed for overtime.  The Wildcats were having none of that, however, scoring the game-winner with a perfectly-executed corner kick by Kunita to the middle of the box, where Reed knocked in his second goal of the season from five yards out.

Cody Tipton got the win in goal for the Wildcats but only had to make one save, as the Bruins had only two shots on goal.  Davis had four saves and there was one team save as the Wildcats had seven shots on goal.  The game was a physical battle as George Fox was whistled for 22 fouls, Linfield 12, and each team collected two yellow cards.

NEXT: George Fox visits Whitworth University (9-3-1, NWC 7-2) while Linfield hosts the University of Puget Sound (6-6, NWC 5-4) Saturday, both at 2:30 p.m.