Park-Hunt's Penalty Kick Is Winner As Boxers Beat Bearcats

Park-Hunt's Penalty Kick Is Winner As Boxers Beat Bearcats

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By Blake Timm '98, Sports Information Director

Box Score

FOREST GROVE – Ashley Park-Hunt's (So., Mililani, Hawaii) penalty kick in the 41st minute proved to be the difference for Pacific Saturday as it was the only goal in a 1-0 Boxers' victory over Willamette in Northwest Conference women's soccer action at Hanson Stadium.
 
The Boxers were awarded the penalty kick after Sydney Virgen (Fr., Richland, Wash.) was tripped in the 18-yard box as she ran toward the end line on the left side of the field.  Virgen came out of the game and Park-Hunt stepped in to make the penalty kick for her third goal of the season.
 
The goal punctuated a match where Pacific held the edge offensively despite the numbers looking quite event.  Both teams finished with seven shots, with the Boxers putting five of their attempts on goal.  Pacific also held the 7-3 advantage in corner kicks, with five of those coming in the second half.
 
"It was good to get the shutout at home and come away with three points," said associate head coach Dane Joseph.  "I think the backline has a true leader in Ashley, and you could see the positive difference in how we dealt with Willamette's forwards."
 
Head Coach Morgan Joseph was also quick to credit the defense, singling out the efforts of Virgen.  "She had a great game and willing to find the ball, drop in and help defense, along with winning the penalty kick which Ashley finished.  Tomorrow is a big test against Puget Sound and we're excited to see what chips the girls bring to the table."
 
All three of Willamette's shots on goal came in the first half.  Emma Sanders had Willamette's first solid opportunity with a header in the seventh minute, but Pacific goalie Megan Green (So., Albany, Ore.) was in position for the save.  Veronica Ewers had Willamette's last shot on goal in the 34th minute, with Green again making the save.
 
Virgen had Pacific's first strong scoring opportunity in the 24th minute, only to be turned away by Willamette keeper Emily Sewall.  McKenna Davidson (Jr., Kailua Kona, Hawaii) followed up a wave of Willamette substitutions with a shot in the 34th minute, which was also saved by Sewall.
 
Pacific's best second half opportunities came from Kara Lankey (So., La Canada, Calif.) early on.  She hooked up off of Taylor Gillespie's (Sr., Silverdale, Wash.) corner kick in the 53rd minute, but her close-range shot went wide.  Gillespie herself had a good look into the 62nd minute, which was saved by Sewall, and a minute later Lankey fired a shot from just inside the 18-yard box that went off the post.
 
Green improved to 2-3-0 on the season in goal for the Boxers, making three saves in her first shutout of the season.  Sewall had four saves in the loss for the Bearcats, dropping to 2-8-1 on the year.
 
Pacific finishes up their weekend home stand on Sunday when they host Puget Sound.  Match time is scheduled for noon.  A live video webcast of the match will be available at GoBoxers.com.  Willamette heads north to face Pacific Lutheran on Sunday.
 
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