WALLA WALLA, Wa. — The George Fox men's soccer team edged out a critical conference road victory on Jonathan Gonzales' late goal to claim a 1-0 victory over the Whitman Blues.

How it Happened 

The Bruins and Blues clashed in a very back-and-forth defensive affair. The Bruins came out fast, putting a ball in the penalty area in the opening 10 seconds but there was no attacker present to make a finish. Both sides settled in as the half carried on. Whitman took more shots than George Fox but the Bruins defense and keeper Alex Muir held strong. 

After Whitman held the ball for a slight majority of the opening period the Bruins controlled the ball well for the second half and finally found the back of the net when Connor Kong's pass got to the feet of Gonzales and his shot fired true in the 73rd minute and put the Bruins ahead for good.

The Blues held a 12-5 edge in shots, but the Bruins were able to put all, but one of their attempts on frame, including Gonzales' decisive score.

Top Performers

Gonzales scored his first goal of the season, a rare one for a center back, which put the Bruins over the top. Muir had five key saves in goal for George Fox to turn in a clean sheet. 

Coach's Thoughts

"Nobody will pretend like our backs weren't against the wall against a very good Whitman team on the road," said interim head coach Paul Karver. "We talk about finding ways to bring value every single day and the guys did that. Every single member of this team brought value in one way or another and that is what it takes to be successful."

What it Means

George Fox is now 4-5 on the season and 2-3 in NWC play after the victory, with both wins coming on the road. It was only the Bruins' second win in Walla Walla in the last 12 years and fourth win over the Blues in the last 23 meetings, first since 2017. It was only the second loss of the season for Whitman.

What's Next
The Bruins are on the road at Whitworth on Sunday with kickoff scheduled for 2:30 p.m.