NEWBERG, Ore. – The George Fox women's soccer team secured its first NWC win in two years, defeating Pacific, 2-1.
How it Happened
Bruin goalie
Myann Johansen got her hands in the game early, completing an impressive save off a corner kick. In the seventh minute, Johansen was put to the test again, once more positioning herself well to stop the attack. A few minutes later,
Morgan Gill attempted to complete a cross, but the ball went high.
Maddie Twichell nearly scored 15 minutes in; unfortunately, the ball landed to the left of the goal.
The third time was the charm for Fox:
Grace Bittner fed a pass to Twichell in the 17th minute, and Twichell capitalized with a shot into the lower center of the net, putting the Bruins up, 1-0. Twichell's shot marked Fox's second goal of the NWC this season. Six minutes later, Pacific looked to score but couldn't get past Johansen. In the 32nd minute,
Morgan Phalen made a beautiful pass to Twitchell, but the shot sailed left of the goal. Shortly after, Pacific launched a shot into Johansen's waiting gloves. The rest of the half went without shots as both teams battled fiercely to keep each other from scoring.
Pacific took the first shot of the second half; Johansen secured the ball. The 49th minute saw Gill aiming for the lower-left corner of the net, but the ball went wide. Then, GFU was threatened by a free kick just outside the 18-yard box, but Johansen maintained composure, earning her sixth save of the game. The Boxers continued to put the pressure on Fox, taking two blocked shots. Johansen got involved again in the 60th minute, shuffling across the goal to make the save. In the next 10 minutes, Pacific and George Fox exchanged shots but neither team was able to find the back of the net. Twichell made an attempt in the 77th minute, but it missed.
Then, Pacific's Tasanee Kinnett sent the ball into the high left corner of the goal, tying the game at 1-1. Fox fought back, unwilling to settle for a draw. Following Phalen's corner kick,
Isabella Hector sent a shot into the high center of the net, with
Sarah Burkes credited with the assist to put the Bruins ahead, 2-1. Though the Boxers kept their energy high, they couldn't find an equalizer. The Bruins won, 2-1.
Top Performances
Maddilan Twichell and
Isabella Hector both scored for the Bruins. Twichell also led the team with four shots.
Myann Johansen kept Pacific at bay by notching seven saves.
Lindsey Kong,
Erin Lam,
Grace Bittner,
Sarah Burkes, and Johansen all played the full 90 minutes.
What it Means
George Fox recorded their first win of the NWC, improving to 2-8-1 (1-7-1 NWC). Pacific fell to 5-7-0 (3-6-0 NWC).
Coach's Thoughts
"We are obviously stoked to see a W on the schedule," said Bruin head coach
Brooke Alteneder "The girls worked so hard to get to this point and to finally see that rewarded is special. There's lots to celebrate and also work to be done. For now we will ride this momentum into a busy week of games."
What Happens Next
The Bruins are set to play Willamette in Salem, Ore. on Wednesday, October 14. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:45 pm.
