Box Score
FOREST GROVE, ORE. – The Pacific women's soccer team may not end up atop the Northwest Conference standings at the end of the weekend, but they will have as much to say about who does as anyone.
For the second straight match the Boxers put a damper on the title hopes of a conference opponent as Pacific and Linfield played to a scoreless draw at Lincoln Park Stadium Friday afternoon.
That takes control of destiny out of the hands of the Wildcats and puts it back in the hands of Puget Sound, which will be Pacific's final opponent when the Boxers close out the season in Tacoma Saturday. The Loggers (11-2-2 NWC, 13-3-2 overall) defeated Lewis & Clark 1-0 Friday to take sole possession of first place in the NWC heading into the final day of competition.
Linfield (10-2-3, 13-3-3) needs a win in its final match against Pacific Lutheran plus a Pacific win or tie at Puget Sound to win its first ever NWC title.
On senior day at Lincoln Park Stadium, Pacific (7-4-4, 10-5-4) honored seven graduating players and three of them—
Shelyce Ichimura (Mililani, Hawaii),
Trisha Tengan (Honolulu, Hawaii) and
Teri Shigeno (Meridian, Idaho)--started on the defensive backline that helped limit the Wildcats to five shots on goal over 110 minutes of soccer. Goalkeeper
Brittany Hartmann (Jr., Portland, Ore.) was able to get in the way of the rare shot that sneaked through, collecting five saves including two spectacular stops to earn her seventh shutout of the season
“The key was leadership,” said assistant coach Dane Christian. “They did a great job of communicating and working with the keeper. The coordination between Brittany and the other four was the best in the two years we've been here.”
Pacific had an early near-miss when
Bryanna DeLima (Sr., Hilo, Hawaii) met
Tianna Homad's (Sr., Seattle, Wash.) corner kick with a strong volley from nine yards that sailed over the cross bar.
The first half was a defensive battle as the teams combined for just six shots and one shot on goal. Linfield midfielder Anna Sours played a ball from the right of the goal box back to the middle, where Julia Vaughan sent a strong low shot toward the near post. Hartmann made a diving save to flick the ball over the goal line and Linfield's resulting corner kick sailed off-target and out of harm's way in the 36th minute.
Two minutes later,
Kaitlyn Harper (Jr., Oregon City, Ore.) blasted a shot from 30 yards in the that caught the Linfield keeper Taylor Collinsworth off her line, but just floated over the bar.
The offensive action heated up in the second half. Linfield had first crack as Anna Sours put a long shot on target that nearly slipped through the hands of Hartmann. The junior keeper was able to secure the ball with the tips of her fingers after a momentary bobble and just kept it from crossing the goal line.
Pacific earned a free kick in the middle of the field from 25 yards in the 54th minute.
Shekema McCarthy (Sr., Davis, Calif.) squeezed a well-paced shot through the Wildcat wall, but Collinsworth made a sprawling save going to the left post to parry the ball away, while Harper's follow-up shot was blocked by a Linfield defender.
Two minutes later, Shigeno put a shot right across the Linfield goal mouth wide left following another Homad corner kick.
Yet another set play opportunity in the 80th minute saw McCarthy fire a 35-yard free kick off the crossbar, Harper's header follow-up from point blank range was deflected away by Collinsworth. On the following Homad corner kick, Kaeli Laxon (So., Nampa, Idaho) got a head on the ball but sent it wide of the mark.
The teams went scoreless into overtime, where Hartmann produced her second brilliant save of the match, leaping to her left and extending to punch away a shot by Linfield's Emily Allison. A pair of Wildcat corner kicks from either side of the field resulted in a shot by Christine Tamamoto, but Hartmann was again there for the save.
“It was good for her to get her confidence back,” said Christian of the three-year starting keeper, who has alternated starts lately with sophomore
Kayla Davidson. “It has been a bit of a rocky road the last two weeks, which has allowed Davidson to step back in. Brittany has taken up the challenge and met it very well.”
The Wildcats' Jenna Quiring put a header off the cross bar in minute 97 and the teams were still deadlocked at 0-0 going into a final ten minute period.
A final flurry of activity had the crowd animated in the second overtime period.
Sarah Tuffey (So., Valencia, Calif.) pursued a long ball over the top at full speed while Collinsworth ranged more than 30 yards away from her line to challenge. The two collided as Collinsworth beat the speedy sophomore forward to the ball by half a step. Tuffey got the worst of a collision, staying down for nearly five minutes before being helped off the field with a bruised hip. The partisan crowd let the head referee have it when a yellow card was displayed as Tuffey limped off the field.
The Boxers received one final caution in the waning seconds and unfortunately it will mean that Harper will watch the final game of the season from the sidelines after receiving her second yellow of the match for a delay tactic. In her final match of the season, the junior midfielder led the team with four shots with a game-high two shots on goal.
“She is a real backbone as a captain and a midfielder,” said Christian of Harper. “It was unfortunate for her to get that second yellow. In the end it defines her as a player. She sacrifices for the team and got in the way to slow things down.”
Pacific outshot Linfield 17-15, while the Wildcats had a 5-4 edge in shots on goal. Madisen Stewart produced a game-high four shots for the visitors, while their targeted shots came from five different players. Collinsworth, a freshman making her fourth start of the season, had four saves for her first career shutout.
Pacific also said farewell to seniors McCarthy and
Jordan Bodily (Eagle, Idaho), their top two scorers this season, along with key midfielders Homad and DeLima, who factored heavily in the outcome of Friday's match.
“It was a fantastic way for the seniors to end their careers,” said Christian. The last two games have disrupted the NWC title and they played very well as a class and as a team. We are thankful for what they've done and looking for one more day to show that class and leadership.”
Pacific and Puget Sound kick off at noon in Tacoma in Saturday's season finale. A win for the Boxers would match the school record total of 11 victories set in 2003.
