Press Release
9/23 - WHITWORTH 3, GEORGE FOX 2: Pirates Escape from Bruins in Battle of NWC Unbeatens
NEWBERG, Ore. - Whitney Ramsey's goal with 20 minutes left for Whitworth University stood as the game-winner when a tying goal by George Fox University with four minutes remaining was nullified by a foul call, and the visiting Pirates hung on for a 3-2 win over the home-standing Bruins in a Northwest Conference women's soccer match Sunday afternoon here at Morse Field.
Whitworth held sway throughout the first half, taking 12 shots while holding George Fox to only two, and those came in the final 10 seconds of the period. The Pirates got on the board first when Lindsey Oakes sent a corner kick into the midst of the penalty box and Kelly Baker headed it home for her third goal of the season 25:38 into the game.
George Fox got a tying goal at 32:30 when Kirsten Cardwell drove a free kick from 30 yards out into the box, and in trying to clear the ball, a Whitworth defender deflected the ball back into the net for an "own goal". The Pirates took the lead back in less than a minute, however, when Greta Thibodeau on the right edge of the box passed to Kara Tisthammer, who sent a shot inside the near post at 33:19 for her third goal.
After being dominated in the first half, the Bruins held their own in the second half, the Pirates holding only a 5-4 advantage in shots in the final 45 minutes. The Bruins knotted the game 2-2 at 50:39 when Melissa Leighty sent a long pass off a free kick from just outside the midfield circle to the middle of the box, and Cardwell went high in the center of a crowd to head the ball backward over Whitworth keeper Krista Dietz.
The Pirates got what proved to be the winning goal at 70:12 when Thibodeau hooked a shot from the right side into the box, where Jael Hagerott flicked the ball to Ramsey just to her left for a clear shot into the net. It was Ramsey's second score of the season.
The Bruins thought they had tied the game again with 4:10 left when Nicole Akiu's corner kick was headed in by Cardwell in the midst of a scramble in front of the net, but the referee ruled that she had pushed off to get position and disallowed the goal. The Pirate defense stymied the Bruins the rest of the way to preserve the win.
George Fox keeper Jessica Cardwell had six saves, while Dietz had none; the Bruins' only two shots on goal were the "own goal" and the Cardwell score. Whitworth held a 17-6 advantage in shots and 8-3 in corner kicks.
Both teams entered the game unbeaten in conference play at 3-0, tied with the University of Puget Sound for the top spot in the league standings. Whitworth remained unbeaten totally at 7-0 overall and 4-0 in the NWC, while George Fox slipped to 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the conference.
The Bruins return to action Wednesday, visiting Lewis & Clark College for a 7:00 p.m. night game. The Pirates go to Pacific Lutheran University Saturday for a 12:00 noon contest.