NEWBERG, Ore. - Scoring two scrambling goals in the final six minutes, the visiting Whitman College Missionaries escaped an upset bid by the George Fox University Bruins with a 2-1 comeback win in the Northwest Conference men's soccer opener for both teams Saturday afternoon here at the Austin Sports Complex.

After a scoreless first half in which Whitman out-shot George Fox 8-4, the Bruins were the first to dent the scoreboard five minutes into the second half.  After a Whitman foul in the deep right corner gave the Bruins a free kick, Brennan Altringer sent a pass into the box in front of the near post, where Myles Sorokovsky windmilled a kick just inside the upper right corner at the 51:47 mark.  It was Sorokovsky's first goal of the season. 

The Bruins dodged a major bullet nine minutes later when Jed Jacobson was fouled just inside the keeper's box and was awarded a penalty kick at 60:47.  His line drive attempt was right at Bruin goalkeeper Elliott Davis, however, who smothered the shot to preserve the shutout to that point.  Davis made 10 saves in the game, several of the sensational variety, and the Bruins appeared on their way to snapping a 17-game winless streak in conference play.

The Missionaries were not to be denied, however, as they peppered the net with 12 shot attempts in the final 30 minutes.  The equalizer came at the 83:45 mark when Jack Morgan slipped his first goal of the season past Davis from five yards away out of the midst of a scrum in front of the net following a short pass from Chris Perkins.

After two Bruin shots for a tiebreaking goal, one wide and one saved by Whitman keeper Michael Bathurst, the Missionaries struck again four minutes from the end.  Following a corner kick into the box by Junpei Tsuji, Sam Freedman headed the ball into the air, and Jeb Jacobson knocked down the loose ball before sending it into the net from 10 yards out for his first goal.  The Bruins had one more shot to tie, but Sorokovsky's liner at the 86:34 mark was blocked, and Whitman ran out the clock to give the home team a heart-breaking loss.

Whitman finished with 26 shots overall and 12 on goal in picking up its first win of the season to 10 shots overall and four on goal for George Fox.  Bathurst made three saves in picking up the win in the net.  Whitman also held a 6-1 advantage in corner kicks.

NEXT:  George Fox (2-3, NWC 0-1) hosts Whitworth University and Whitman (1-1-2, NWC 1-0) goes to Pacific University Sunday, both games starting at 2:30 p.m.  Whitworth opened conference play with a 2-0 win at Pacific on Saturday.  NWC women's games will precede both men's games Sunday, each kicking off at 12:00 noon.