NEWBERG, Ore. --- After a scoreless 60 minutes to begin George Fox men's soccer's home opener against Multnomah, the doors blew open. Ultimately, the Lions held off a charging Bruin team to win, 3-1, at Austin Sports Complex on Saturday night.

How It Happened
Both the Bruins and the Lions only generated one real opportunity against the opposing defenses in the first half, with both coming from free kicks. Isaac Nakayama sent a ball into the hands of the goalie in the 23rd minute. Meanwhile, Cade Matsumoto tallied his first career save with a diving effort that barely pushed the ball over the crossbar in the 33rd.

As the sun set, the lights dimmed down, and the second half began, the intensity of the match ramped up. Joshua Chang had a chance to give Fox the lead with a breakaway in the 57th minute that was saved by a charging goalie. Minutes later, Eugene Peltier's shot pushed wide for another chance for the Bruins.

The Lions needed only nine more minutes to knock in not only the first goal but the second as well. In the 65th minute, Jean Mikael broke the tie thanks to a well-executed attack by the Lion offense that ended in an open goal from the right side. Four minutes later, Edwin Balbuena gave Multnomah a 2-0 lead.

As time wound down in the game, Peltier made sure the Bruins would not go down without a fight. The freshman's first goal was an unassisted, weaving effort that sent both the crowd and fans into a frenzy as the deficit was cut to 1-2. Peltier's shot would end up being the last the Bruins would record, and another Lion goal in the waning minutes pushed the game out of reach.

Top Performers
Along with the first goal of his career, Peltier also tallied one other shot to lead the team. Nakayama and Chang also recorded a shot on goal, while Matsumoto notched two saves.

Coach's Thoughts
"The guys came together and fought hard tonight," Bruin head coach Paul Karver said, "It was a completely different group compared to the other night. We take pride in getting better every day and we did that tonight."

What It Means
The Bruins fall to 0-2 on the season, while the Lions improve to 3-0. It's the second NWC opponent that Multnomah has beaten this season — the Lions beat Linfield, 3-1, on September 1.
 
What Happens Next
The Bruins return to Austin Sports Complex on Saturday, September 10 to host the La Verne Leopards. Kickoff is scheduled for noon.