Willamette Shuts Out Pacific, 3-0, Behind Two Goals from Jacobson

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

FOREST GROVE, ORE. -- Austin Jacobson (Fr., MF, Salem, OR/South Salem HS) scored two goals and Yazan Hishmeh (Fr., F, Ventura, CA/Saint Bonaventure HS) scored once, leading Willamette University to a 3-0 victory over Pacific University on Sunday, Oct. 14.

Goalkeepers Brayden Calder (Fr., Philomath, OR/Philomath HS) and Bradley Eckerson (Sr., Portland, OR/Cleveland HS) combined on the shutout.

Willamette has won three games in a row and four of its last five, helping the Bearcats move into fourth place in the Northwest Conference standings. The Bearcats are 7-6-1 on the season, 4-4-1 in the NWC (13 points). Pacific fell to 4-10-0 overall, 2-7-0 in the NWC. The Boxers are tied for seventh place in the conference with six points.

The game was scoreless for most of the first half, but Jacobson put Willamette on the scoreboard at 39:27 on a shot from 10 yards out on the right side. He placed the ball into the left corner of the goal. Mike McGrew (Sr., MF, Portland, OR/Grant HS) and Tyler Yates (Fr., F, Kailua-Kona, HI/Kealakehe HS) garnered assists on the play.

WU continued to hold the 1-0 lead at halftime and during the first 15 minutes of the second half.

At 62:24, the Bearcats expanded the lead to 2-0 on Hishmeh's fifth goal of the season. He received the ball from Erik Kaufman (Sr., F, Portland, OR/Grant HS) about 35 yards away from the goal and began dribbling toward the penalty area. Just after he passed the 18-yard line, he sent a low shot into the net.

Willamette tacked on a goal at 82:35 on a 10-yard shot by Jacobson. The unassisted goal featured a 20-yard burst of energy from Jacobson as he dribbled into the penalty area before sending a shot past Pacific goalkeeper Michael Summers.

The Bearcats finished with a 16-14 edge in shots and a 5-4 margin in shots on goal. Pacific claimed a 7-2 edge in corner kicks, with five of the corners by the Boxers occurring in the first half.

Jacobson led Willamette with five shots, including two shots on goal. Alex Arrington topped Pacific with four total shots. Two of Arrington's shots were directed on goal.

In addition to picking up the win, Willamette saw Eckerson return to action. The senior goalkeeper missed 11 games after injuring his hand in the closing moments of regulation in Willamette's 2-1 overtime win over Southwestern University (Texas) on Sept. 1. Against Pacific on Sunday, he earned one save while playing the final 32:08.

Calder, who took over for Eckerson in overtime at Southwestern and has earned a 7-5-1 record this year, played the first 57:52 on Sunday. He registered three saves and recorded the win. Summers played all 90 minutes for Pacific and was credited with two saves.

The Bearcats swept the season series from the Boxers. Willamette defeated Pacific 3-2 on Sept. 29 in the first meeting of the season.

Willamette's next game is set for Saturday, Oct. 20 at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Wash. Game time is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. (PDT).