NEWBERG, Ore. – The George Fox women's soccer team put together a solid team performance in a hard fought battle against the Willamette Bearcats, holding strong defensively to end the game in a tie, 0-0.
How It Happened
The first half was a tight contest for possession, with neither team able to find the net for the entire period. Willamette was on the attack immediately —
Emily Robey made three straight saves for the Bruins in the first seven minutes to hold them scoreless.
Fox retaliated with several shots of their own, as
Willa Evans and
Becca Kozak put balls on target early, though both shots were blocked.
The two sides continued to trade field possession and shots for much of the period, before Willamette strung together five shots to pressure Fox as the clock wound down. The Bruin backline proved impenetrable, making another three saves to keep the game scoreless at halftime.
The second half proved to be another tense battle, with the Bruin defense holding firm under pressure despite being outshot for the period, 11-6. Fox's offense went on a run of five straight shots midway through the half, with two of them on goal, but couldn't find the back of the net. The two sides traded possession for the remainder of the game to force a draw, 0-0.
Top Performers
Taylor Ho led the team offensively with three shots on goal, while
Liv Haima,
Lindsey Kong and
Becca Kozak each ended the day with one.
Emily Robey had another impressive shut out game, finishing the day with 12 saves.
Coach's Thoughts
Today's game was very back and forth," said Bruins head coach
Laura Schott. "Both teams had opportunities to win, but in the end a tie is fair for our performance. Willamette is having a great year and it was big time to get the shut out."
What It Means
The Bruins move to 5-7-3 (2-6-3 NWC) on the season, while Willamette moves to 6-5-5 (5-4-3 NWC).
What Happens Next
The Bruins will look to build momentum in a road match against Pacific (1-11-3, 1-9-1 NWC) on Sunday, October 27th. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:45 p.m. in Forest Grove, Ore.
