The men’s soccer team underperformed this weekend as they faced two teams on the road. On Saturday, the Loggers played against the Willamette Bearcats for the second time this season. There, they once again proved their superiority with a 2-0 victory.
Neither team was able to put up many shots, with the Bearcats attempting five to the Loggers’ six, but the Loggers capitalized more on their attempts over the Bearcats. The Willamette men were simply unable to shoot the ball past sophomore Chris McDonald (Newton, Mass.) at the goal. McDonald proved he was an asset to the team with his quick reflexes and tight goal keeping. He contributed three saves in the game. The Bearcats struggled to keep high morale on the field as their confidence waned.
Sophomore Ryan Rash (Federal Way, Wash.) received a corner kick in the 10th minute but was unable to score. But he came back in the 13 minute, determined to earn his redemption. Rash scored his third goal of the season from the center of the field, eight yards out. In the 55th minute, the Loggers were led by freshman Colin McIntosh (Olympia, Wash.) when he scored his second goal of the season. The Willamette goalkeeper realized all too late what was happening, and the Loggers earned their final and game winning goal.
As the men’s team climbed their way up the rankings from a shaky start, every game in the season was of utmost importance. Unfortunately, the loss against Linfield on Sunday hampered their chances of continuing to post-season play.
Highlights from the Loggers’ game versus Linfield on Sunday include McDonald’s six saves in goal, three in each half. The Loggers rounded up their fire power too late in the game. As the Loggers frantically tried to convert shots into goals in the final moments of the match, headers were being thrown left and right, while a general feeling of frenzy ensued. Meanwhile, Linfield retained its composure and remained organized on the field.
The Loggers await their fate as rankings come out on Oct. 27. Coaches and NCAA affiliates generally give bids for Conference to the teams they believe have the most potential to succeed in post-season play. Puget Sound will be closely evaluated based on how they compare against their opponents in the North West Conference, specifically Pacific (Ore.), with whom they were tied earlier in the season. Pacific lost to Whitman on Saturday and tied with Whitworth on Sunday. A loss on Sunday from Pacific would have helped the Loggers’ chances in the bid. For now, they wait.