NEWBERG, Ore. – Luke Hammer scored the first goal of the game to give George Fox University an early lead, but the visiting Whitman College Missionaries responded with three goals of their own to take a 3-1 win over the Bruins in a Northwest Conference men's soccer game Sunday afternoon here at the Austin Sports Complex.

The Bruins got on the board at the 18:28 mark of the first half when Sawyer Meek sent a corner kick from the left into the box, where Hammer settled the ball and flicked it into the right corner with the outside of his right foot.  It was the first goal of the season for the sophomore forward, who led the Bruins in scoring last year while earning honorable mention All-Conference honors.

The Missionaries answered with the tying goal seven minutes later.  Leland Matthaeus sent a cross from the left baseline to the middle of the keeper's box, and Sean Williams sent it inside the far post for his first score of the season.  Whitman then took the lead at the 31:10 mark when Reid Shaw, trying to turn in the box but finding himself surrounded by Bruin defenders, sent the ball back out to the top of the box for Andrew Clark, who immediately returned it to the left corner for his first goal.

Whitman maintained its one-goal lead for the next 41 minutes before adding some insurance in the second half.  Jesse Mirman started the scoring play from the top of the box with a short pass to Logan Grime on the left side of the box.  Grime quickly lined it across the middle to Jose Beleche racing in from the right, and he reversed it to the left corner for his initial goal of the season at the 72:12 mark.

The Missionaries held a 14-10 advantage in shots, including 6-3 in shots on goal, and 5-3 in corner kicks.  Michael Bathurst made two saves in gaining the win for Whitman, while George Fox goalie Elliott Davis made three stops.

NEXT: George Fox (0-8-1, NWC 0-4) will be out to end an eight-game skid Saturday when the Bruins visit their Yamhill County rivals, the Linfield College Wildcats, Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ... Whitman (3-5-2, NWC 1-2-1) returns home to host the University of Puget Sound Saturday, also at 2:30 p.m.