Strong Defense Not Enough To Give Boxers a Win
Box Score
FOREST GROVE, ORE.—Defense proved to be a key component for the Boxers as they kept Emily Fellows, the Northwest Conference's leading goal-scorer off the board until the 87th minute of the match. The Linfield Wildcats defeated Pacific 1-0 in a hard fought defensive battle.
Pacific (2-5-1) allowed Fellows only three shots during the first 45 minutes of the match. Goalkeeper Brittany Hartmann (So., Portland, Ore.) had five saves in the first half to keep the Wildcats (5-2-0) from finding the net.
Pacific was outshot by Linfield 11-4, but the score was locked at 0-0 at intermission.
The second half started with the defense again playing a large part of keeping Fellows from the goal. Fellows was able to get four more shots off and one was able to find the net after bouncing a header off the post in the 87th minute to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead. The Boxers immediately answered with two shots of their own. Kaitlyn Harper's (So., Oregon City, Ore.) shot was just above the goal and Bryanna DeLima's (Jr., Hilo, Hawaii) shot was saved by Linfield goalkeeper Kelsey Hasselblad. Fellows' lone goal was enough to lift Linfield past Pacific.
The Pacific offense never got going. “We weren't ready to play,” said assistant coach Dane Christian. “Linfield took control of the match and we didn't match it. We are much better than we played today.”
The defensive efforts of Teri Shigeno (Jr., Meridian, Idaho) were noted by Christian. “She did well executing our plan from practice this week.”
Hartmann finished the match with nine saves for Pacific and DeLima led the team with four shots and one shot on goal.
Pacific travels to Tacoma, Wash. next Saturday to take on Pacific Lutheran at noon.
