Hernandez Earns a Goal and an Assist as Willamette Shuts Out Whitman, 2-0

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director

WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- Alan Hernandez (So., F, Tigard, OR/Tigard HS) earned an assist in the opening minutes and added a goal in the second half to help Willamette University defeat Whitman College, 2-0, in a Northwest Conference men's soccer game on Saturday, Oct. 31. Willamette improved to 5-10-2 overall, 4-7-1 in the NWC. Whitman ended the day at 3-11-2 overall, 2-8-2 in the NWC.

Willamette took a 1-0 lead when Diego Ochoa (Fr., F, Coronado, CA/Coronado HS) scored a goal assisted by Hernandez at 2:45. Hernandez added an insurance goal for the Bearcats at 69:01 on an assist from Sam Gonzalez (Sr., D, Junction City,OR/Junction City HS).

Bearcat goalkeepers Braydon Calder (Sr., GK, Philomath, OR/Philomath HS), who played the first 76:42, and Josh Fuentes (Jr., GK, Salem, OR/South Salem HS), who went into the nets for the final 13:18, shared the shutout.

Milo Cantor played 74:39 in goal for Whitman, while Baker Conte completed the game in the nets. Cantor earned two saves and Conte recorded one save.

Calder made two saves, one in each half, for the Bearcats. In the first half, he stopped a shot by Park Harman at 32:03. During the second half, he kept out a shot by Taryvon Foy at 75:06 following a corner kick for the Missionaries.

Soon after the shot by Foy, Willamette's Yazan Hishmeh (Sr., F, Ventura, CA/Saint Bonaventure HS) sent a header toward the goal, but the shot was saved by Conte.

Willamette gained a 10-8 edge in overall shots, including a 5-2 margin in shots on goal. Whitman attained a 7-2 advantage in corner kicks. One of Whitman's corners was taken with a few seconds remaining in the first half. It led to a shot by Gabe Jacobson that was blocked with one second left.

Hishmeh led all players with four total shots, while placing three hsot son goal. Ochoa and Hernandez each took two shots for Willamette. Harmon and Jacobson had two shots apiece for the Missionaries.

The Bearcats will play at Whitworth University on Sunday, Nov. 1. Kickoff is slated for 1:30 p.m. (PST).