WHITTIER, Calif. – Michelle Young rifled a long shot from outside the keeper's box off the left post and into the net in the 57th minute, giving the George Fox University Bruins a hard-fought 1-0 victory over the Whittier College Poets in a non-conference women's soccer match Friday night here at the Graham Soccer Field.

After battling through a scoreless first half, the Bruins finally broke through at the 57:25 mark when the Poets tried to clear a ball out of the back and start upfield.  Becca Allen intercepted for the Bruins and made a quick flick to Young near the upper right corner of the box.  Young spun and immediately rocketed a shot toward the goal from some 30 feet away, passing keeper Shanna Falch.  It was the first score of the season for Young, who led the team last year with five goals and 12 total points.

Whittier out-shot the Bruins 14-3 overall and 5-2 in shots on goal, and got five corner kick opportunities to two for the Bruins, but the George Fox defense was up to the task of keeping the Poets out of the net.  Ally Swanson and Alyssa Montero combined for the shutout in goal, Swanson with three saves and Montero, who was credited with the win, with two.  Falch made one save but took the loss for the Poets.

The victory enabled the Bruins to complete a two-game sweep on their southern California trip this week, improving to 2-1 on the season, while Whittier fell to 0-2.

“To get two wins on this trip was pretty impressive,” admitted George Fox head coach Cory Hand, who is in his first year with the program.  “Our win on Wednesday (2-1 vs. Hope International University) came against a very good NAIA scholarship team.  Tonight, we beat a team that was coming off an overtime loss to the 16th-ranked team in the NAIA and which scored two goals to tie it in the last 10 minutes, so we knew what they were capable of doing.  I thought we responded well; we bent but didn't break.”

NEXT: George Fox will try to make it three wins in a row when the Bruins play their first home match at the Austin Sports Complex Thursday at 7:00 p.m. against Evergreen State College … Whittier hosts Pacific Lutheran University Sunday at 11:00 a.m.