NEWBERG, Ore. - With Melanie Gaither scoring both George Fox University goals, the Bruins picked up their first win of the young season with a 2-1 Northwest Conference victory over the visiting Whitman College Missionaries in their women's soccer home opener Saturday afternoon here at the Austin Sports Complex.

The game was scoreless through the first half, Whitman taking eight shots to three for George Fox.  The Missionaries missed a golden opportunity to take the lead in the opening period when Erin Flannery was fouled in the box four minutes before the break, but Jaclyn Rudd's penalty kick try was thwarted by a spectacular diving deflection to her right by Bruin keeper Alyssa Montero.

The Bruins finally broke the ice at 51:45 in the second half.  Following a Whitman foul, the Bruins' Corin Beaudry sent a free kick from the left sideline into the middle of the box, where Gaither controlled the ball, circled left around a defender, and hooked a shot past Missionary goalie Laura Brougham inside the far post for her fourth goal of the season.

Nursing that slim 1-0 lead until late in the game, the Bruins caught a break when Brougham mishit a goalie kick out of the box that was easily intercepted by Gaither.  All alone in a one-on-one situation, Brougham made a brilliant stop on Gaither's first try, but the ball rebounded right back to the Bruins' forward for an uncontested putback, her fifth score of the season, at the 83:45 mark.

That insurance goal proved crucial as the Missionaries aggressively pressed their attack in the waning minutes.  The shutout was spoiled 11 seconds from the end when Kelsey Roehner approached the net along the right baseline and put the ball to the near post, where Amy Hasson picked it out of a scrum and slipped it past Montero for her fifth goal of the season.  The Bruins were able to run out the clock before Whitman could manage an equalizing goal.

Whitman took 17 shots in all but only five on goal, with Montero making four saves.  George Fox was efficient with six shots on goal out of eight total tries, Brougham making four stops also.  The Missionaries held an 8-1 advantage in corner kicks but were unable to capitalize on their myriad chances.

NEXT:  George Fox (1-3-2, NWC 1-1) hosts Whitworth University and Whitman (2-3, NWC 1-1) goes to Pacific University Sunday, both games starting at 12:00 noon.  Whitworth and Pacific tied 1-1 on Saturday.  Each game will be followed by men's NWC games at 2:30 p.m.