Penalty Kick Leads Pirates Sailing Past Boxers
Box Score
FOREST GROVE – Cameron Bushey scored the game-winner on a second half penalty kick as Whitworth came away with a physical 2-0 shutout of Pacific in both teams' Northwest Conference men's soccer openers at Lincoln Park Stadium.
Bushey earned the penalty kick opportunity in the 63rd minute when teammate J.T. Meyer was tackled hard in the box by Pacific's
Ian Ward (Fr., Chehalis, Wash.). Bushey connected to the central part of the net to the right of goalkeeper
Chris Reimer (So., Ferndale, Wash.).
Anders Nostdahl padded the Whitworth lead in the 89th minute when Meyer connected with him on a short pass to the central area of the box. Nostdahl drew Reimer out and gently launched the ball in from just four yards away.
The goals punctuated an aggressive match-up between the young Boxers (0-5-0, 0-1-0 NWC) and the experienced Pirates (3-1-1, 1-0-0 NWC), which saw a total of five cautions and a combined 25 fouls committed between the two sides. Whitworth outshot the Boxers 14-10 for the match, but only put six of those opportunities on goal.
Pacific held a narrow 5-4 advantage in shots over the Pirates in a first half where both teams had plenty of looks at the goal. Andrew French had the Pirates' best look in the 27th minute when he rifled a shot from the top of the 18-yard box. Ward cleared the ball away from the goal line with a header.
Antonio Madeddu (Jr., Milwaukie, Ore.) launched a rocket of his own in the 33rd minute, taking a shot from 20 yards out that was saved by Whitworth netminder Brian Sherpe. Ward set up Murray for a header from the middle of the penalty area, with Sherpe coming up with the diving stop.
The teams against traded looks in the second half as the match starting becoming more physical. Meyer had a clear look at the net when he ran right up the far side of the 18-yard box, shooting from eight yards away right to the hands of Reimer in the 49th minute.
After their penalty kick goal, Whitworth came close to making it a 2-0 game when Keoha Mountcastle flicked a header from five yards out to the near post in the 69th minute. Ward was there again to make the save in place of Reimer, heading the ball away from the right side of the net.
Reimer finished two saves in the loss, while Ward accounted for two team saves credited to the Boxers. Sherpe made four stops while recording the shutout.
Pacific will conclude a six-match season-opening home stand on Sunday when they host Whitman. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Whitworth concludes the weekend by playing at George Fox on Sunday.
