The women’s soccer team spent this past weekend traveling to Spokane and Walla Walla, Wash. to continue Northwest Conference Play. Sadly, the Loggers suffered their first loss at the hands of Whitworth Saturday Sept 25.
Whitworth and Whitman are considered two of the most challenging teams in the Northwest Conference series. The Loggers played last weekend with the knowledge that they would have to pull out all the stops to beat the Pirates and Missionaries.
“This weekend will be a huge test for our team. We are challenged with two of the hardest teams in the conference and we are on the road. I know we have what it takes for success; we just have to prove it! This weekend can really help us pull ahead in the conference standings,” junior Jenny Moore (Kent, Wash./Kentwood) said.
Within the first two minutes of the game, the Pirates scored their first goal. An assist by Sarah Berentson allowed for Elizabeth Mattila to head the ball into the net’s far side.
A two-on-one breakaway allowed for Mattila and Berentson to assist each other on the second goal of the game. Berentson also scored the third goal in the 50th minute of game play.
In the 88th minute of game play the Pirates scored their final goal. Courtney Larson scored off a crossbar rebound with an assist from Allie Smith.
Although the Loggers were unable to push the ball past Pirate keeper Callie Bergstrom, the Loggers and Pirates were about even in the amount of shots taken.
Moore led the Loggers with two of the five shots taken on goal. In total, the Loggers took seven shots while the Pirates took a total of 10 with six being on goal.
Logger keeper freshman Casey Thayer (Boulder, Colo.) earned her start in goal by making two saves.
The loss to the Whitworth was the first loss of Conference for the Loggers and it is the first big loss in quite some time. However, the team has the talent to make up for this weekends one loss deficit.
“We have a new team and it is really exciting. I think until this point we have all been getting used to playing in a new system and with new players, but we have been improving everyday, and I think we have the ability to win conference and go very far in post season,” Moore said.
The No. 12 Loggers regained momentum and returned to a winning track on Sunday with a 1-0 victory over Whitman.
Theresa Henle scored her sixth goal of the season as she scored the game’s only goal in the 34th minute of the game.
During the second half the Loggers picked up force and fired nine shots at goal and took five corner kicks. Although no goals were made, the Loggers pressured the Missionaries until the final buzzer sounded.
The Loggers will be in Oregon on Sunday Oct. 3 to challenge George Fox.