Williams Lead Boxers To Sinking Of No. 18 Whitworth
Summary:
Men's Soccer: Win : 3-1 | Stats
Danny Williams scores two goals and becomes the second leading scorer in Pacific men's soccer history as the Boxers scored a 3-1 victory over No. 18 Whitworth
FOREST GROVE - Danny Williams (Sr., Eugene, Ore., pictured) became the second
leading scorer in Pacific history Saturday, scoring two goals and
adding an assist to lead the Boxers to a 3-1 victory over No. 18 ranked
Whitworth in Northwest Conference men's soccer action at Lincoln Park
Stadium.
Williams connected just a minute into the match and with just a minute
left to score his sixth and seventh goals of the season. The
goals give Williams 30 for his career, moving him past Rusty Sandusky
(29) for No. 2 on the all-time goal-scoring list.
More
importantly, Williams led a spirited offensive afternoon for Pacific
(6-3-3, 2-1-3 NWC), who scored their first two goals in the first 10
minutes of the match.
Williams needed all of a minute to put Pacific on the board and snap a
five-match scoreless streak. After Pacific moved the ball into
their offensive end off of the opening kick, Michael Iacolucci (So.,
Seattle, Wash.) made a short pass to Williams at the top of the
eight-yard box. Williams rifled the ball to the top central area
of the net, stunning Whitworth goalkeeper Brian Sherpe.
Williams then earned the assist as Travis Birrell (So., Seattle, Wash.)
doubled the score just 10 minutes in. Williams pulled the ball
out of another offensive flurry in front of the goal. His shot
came off the fingertips of Sherpe and right to Birrell, who hit to the
near post for his second goal of the year.
In the midst of Pacific's scoring, the Pirates (8-2-1, 4-2-0 NBWC) had
plenty of their own chances. John Prugh had Whitworth's first
quality chance in the seventh minute, launching a 15-footer that was
saved by Pacific goalie Andrew Stevermer (So., Gillette, Wyo.).
Cameron Bushey also put together a close range attempt in the eighth
minute, with Stevermer once again saving the attempt. Neither
side had a shot on goal in the final 30 minutes as the Boxers went into
halftime with the 2-0 lead.
Elly Bulega put Whitworth on the board in the 53rd minute as the
Pirates pressed the Pacific defense hard over the first minutes of the
second half. Bulega was in position for Ben Rotert's pass from
the far side and was just off the near post when he punched it in for
his fourth goal of the year.
As the half progressed, it was Beluga who came up with the Pirates'
best opportunities to tie it. Bulega nearly scored the equalizer
in the 59th minute off of a long thrown-in by Rotert, but his header
from three yards out went nearly straight up and over the
crossbar. In the 71st minute, Beluga appeared to have Stevermer
beat in the middle of the box. Just as Bulega moved right,
however, Stevermer made a fingertip dive and then grabbed the ball to
prevent a shot attempt.
Williams' second goal came as Whitworth pushed all of its players
forward, including the goalkeeper Sherpe, in attempt to score the tying
goal. The move proved detrimental as Williams and Jasem Jaihouni
(So., Portland, Ore.) got into a two-on-one passing situation with
Sherpe backpedaling. Jaihouni faked toward the goal, then passed
to Williams at the top of the eight-yard box for the score.
Whitworth outshot Pacific 15-12 for the match, which included a 6-4
edge in shots on goal, while Pacific had a 4-2 advantage in corner
kicks. Stevermer made five saves in the victory, while Sherpe
made just one save in the loss for the Pirates.
Pacific will wrap up the first half of the NWC season at home, hosting
Whitman on Sunday. Whitworth finishes up their road trip with a
Sunday match at George Fox.
Posted by Blake Timm (timmbr@pacificu.edu) on Oct 11, 2008 at 5:03 PM
