Last Second Wildcat Goal Breaks Boxers’ Heart
Box Score
FOREST GROVE – After taking a 1-0 lead in the first half, the Pacific women's soccer team came up short as No. 24 ranked Linfield scored a last second goal to break the Boxers' heart, suffering a 3-2 loss in the start of the second half of Northwest Conference play on Wednesday evening at Lincoln Park Stadium.
"We played our hearts out today," said associate head coach Dane Joseph. "It's unfortunate that we had three bad defensive errs, but overall I believe our backline actually did a very good job containing a nationally ranked program. We're super thankful for every players' effort and energy today, for the fans' support, and to be able to watch a great game like tonight's."
The Boxers played a tough defensive game the entire match, but the highlighted part of the game for the Boxers was shutting out Linfield in the first half and taking a 1-0 lead heading into the second period.
Emily Tuffey (Jr., Valencia, Calif.) received a cross from
Kara Lankey (Fr., La Canada, Calif.) and finished from eight yards out for her first goal of the season. The assist marks Lankey's fifth on the season.
Linfield matched Pacific's goal in the 57
th minute after Marisa Specht gained control of the ball in a scrambled box and shot past Boxer keeper
Kayla Davidson (Sr., Kailua-Kona, Hawaii) to tie the match up at 1-1. Lankey brought the Boxers ahead in the 77
th minute when she scored her 10
th goal of the season. She score off a breakaway up the middle and shot from 15 yards out and up over the Wildcat keeper.
"Kara and Emily's goals were brilliant," said head coach
Morgan Joseph. "But take nothing away from some fantastic play behind and around them to set them up for success. Kudos to Breezy and Kamryn for leading like true generals from the back. I couldn't be more proud."
The Wildcats' leading scorer, Emily Fellows, tied the match back up in the 83
rd minute when she dribbled around two defenders and shot from 10 yards out to the top left corner of the net. The heartbreaking goal came with eight seconds left in the match as Elli Schmidt received the ball off the corner and settled in a crowded box to finish to the back of the net.
Linfield outshot the Boxers 27-6.
Deanna Quadrel (Fr., Richland, Wash.) led the Boxers with two of the Boxers six shots.
Kayla Davidson stepped up between the pipes tonight, despite allowing three goals, and saving nine balls. Her record drops to 6-4-2 on the season.
The Boxers drop to 7-4-2 overall and 4-4-1 in the Northwest Conference. They will travel this weekend to Lewis & Clark before they host the Whits the following weekend. The match against Lewis & Clark will begin at noon on Sunday.
