FOREST GROVE, Ore.-- (From Pacific Sports Information Office) Whitworth used first half goals by Lindsey Oakes and Kimberly Mitchell to earn the victory on the first leg of their Oregon trip Saturday,
The Pirates (7-3-1, 3-3-1 NWC), ranked No. 16 in the last NSCAA/Adidas Division III National Poll, posted their second victory in the last five matches. They outshot the Boxers 19-14 and had a 7-5 advantage in corner kicks. Pacific (4-7-0, 3-4-0 NWC), meanwhile, dropped their fourth straight match and suffered their fourth straight shutout after winning their first three of the conference season. Liz Matilla started Whitworth's opening scoring drive in the 35th minute, feeding the ball to Oakes on the right-hand side. Oakes dribbled to inside the 18-yard box and fired from 10-yards out, hitting to the right side of the net for her third goal of the season. The Pirates appeared to have doubled the lead in the 42nd minute. Kimberly Mitchell lined up a strong header from five yards out, only to have it cleared off the goal line by a Pacific defender. Jenny Krzymowski appeared to have headed it in to the near post, but was whistled offside. Mitchell finally put in her first goal of the season in the 45th minute. Oakes started the play with a corner kick from the near side. Mitchell hooked the ball around the near post away from Pacific goalkeeper Erin Ichimura. A Pacific defender got a head on the ball on a clearing attempt, but Mitchell¹s shot carried too much momentum from keeping it from going into the net. Pacific put together a pair of strong first half opportunities. Bryanna DeLima found herself open at the top of the 18-yard box in the 12th minute, but hook the ball wide left. In the 18th minute, Cayla Kitabayashi found herself open on the near side off a pass from midfield. She caught Whitworth goalkeeper Callie Bergstrom off her line, but hook the ball wide of the far post. Ellen Seagraves gave Whitworth an additional insurance goal in the 56th minute, scoring from 25 yards out off a deflection of a free kick that went off of a Pacific defender. Pacific's best second half chance came late in the match. Jenny Novak lined up for a free kick from 22 yards out on the left-hand side. Her slow rolling ground ball went just left of the near post. Ichimura finished with nine saves in the loss for the Boxers, while Bergstrom made four stops for the Pirates. Pacific continues their three-game home stand on Sunday, hosting Whitman at noon. Whitworth will wrap up their Oregon trip on Sunday at George Fox.. |
