Box Score Photo Taken By: Jake Ryan
By: Ryan Lackey
SALEM, Ore. --- The Bruins had a dream start against hosts Willamette on Sunday afternoon, but they couldn't quite hold onto the early 1-0 lead, as two Bearcat goals less than a minute apart gave Willamette a 2-1 victory.
Recap:
From the opening whistle, the Bruins were on the attack: Luis Rangel fired wide twice in the first five minutes, and Daniel Alonzo had an effort sail beyond the far corner before the Bruins finally caught a break. In the 13th minute, fine buildup play between Rangel and Joab Logan led to a perfectly weighted through ball to Miguel Lopez, who finished from just inside the eighteen beyond Bearcats' keeper Braydon Calder.
Seconds later, the Bruins nearly doubled their lead, but Alonzo's shot once again flew beyond the post. Up 1-0 early and still attacking, the Bruins looked to have the game well under control.
In the 34th minute, though, Willamette began to look dangerous. George Fox keeper Murray Noble made a sharp save on Alan Hernandez's shot, and Hernandez had another good look blocked soon after. Then, in the 43rd minute, sustained pressure from Willamette paid off: Jack Elton swung in a tight ball from a 30-yard free kick that found the head of Matt Bauer on the far post, who nodded it into the back of the net. Just fifty seconds later, Christopher Barnes flicked on a throw-in to Garrett Ross, who trapped the ball eight yards out and fired into the top corner, and Willamette led, 2-1.
Understandably deflated from the sudden swing in momentum, the Bruins were flatter in the second half, but they still carved out chances. Calder made two excellent saves on shots from Logan and Rangel, and Lopez nearly bagged a brace in the 61st minute, but his shot was pushed away. George Fox perhaps came closest to equalizing in the 81st minute, when Rangel's corner found Grant Basquez, whose header flashed wide of goal.
Top Performers:
Noble ended up with six saves for the Bruins in goal. Lopez led with two efforts on frame; his goal was his second on the year.
What Comes Next:
The 2-1 final finds the Bruins at 4-6 and 1-3 in the Northwest Conference early in the season. They'll work to right the ship on Friday, when Whitman comes to visit.
