Willamette Overcomes 3-1 Deficit in Second Half to Tie California Lutheran, 3-3

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University men's soccer team rallied from a 3-1 deficit midway through the second half by scoring two goals in less than six minutes to force a 3-3 tie with California Lutheran University at Sparks Field on Sunday, Sept. 11. A pair of quick goals by CLU gave the Kingsmen a two-goal lead just over 65 minutes into the game, but Willamette battled back. Pierce Gallaway (Sr., M, Carmel, CA/Carmel HS) scored on a penalty kick for Willamette at 66:00 and Sean Kim (SJ., F, Sunnyvale, CA/Homestead HS) added another goal for the Bearcats at 71:37.

Willamette remained undefeated on the season at 1-0-2. California Lutheran moved to 1-1-2.

"It was great to have Cal Lutheran down to play us this weekend. They tested us differently than we've been tested this year and we have a lot of analysis and reflection to do after this result," Willamette Head Men's Soccer Coach Sam Adelman said. "I'm glad we got a point out of it, but we never should have been down in the first place.

"Our belief was important ... The belief in ourselves that we could come back and get it done, up until the last whistle," Adelman added regarding the comeback.

The teams were tied 1-1 at halftime, as each squad took five shots during the first 45 minutes. Even so, WU held a 4-2 edge in shots on goal at the break. CLU goalie Harrison Brown earned three saves to keep Willamette from moving in front.

California Lutheran grabbed a 2-1 lead at 62:01. The goal was scored by Matt Meyer, who's shot from 16-yards near the middle of the penalty area deflected off a Willamette defender and went into the middle of the goal. Chris Pelaez was credited with an assist. Just over three minutes later, Tyler Sheard scored an unassisted goal at 65:15. The play began with a corner kick that led to a close shot by Erick Meija that was saved by WU goalkeeper Pierluca Carnovale (Jr., GK, Seattle, WA/Ballard HS). The ball rebounded to Sheard at the top of the 18-yard box. He shot the ball into the upper part of the goal.

A foul in the penalty area by CLU set up a penalty kick for the Bearcats just 45 seconds after Sheard's goal. Gallaway responded by going to the spot and shooting into the lower left corner. Two Kingsmen received yellow cards for dissent prior to Gallaway's kick.

Kim provided WU with the equalizing goal less than six minutes later on an 8-yard shot from the right side. The shot was deflected into the lower right corner of the goal. Jett Starr (Jr., F, Portland, OR/Cleveland HS) received an assist on the play.

Willamette outshot the Kingsmen 4-2 the rest of the way, including shots by Starr at 81:38 and 87:28 that were saved by Davis Sharts of CLU, who entered the game with just over 16 minutes to go. In addition, Gallaway and Ardem Baronian (Sr., M/F, Los Altos, CA/St. Francis HS) each took a shot in the final 10 minutes for the Bearcats. Gallaway's shot went wide at 80:25 and Sharts saved Baronian's shot at 81:48.

CLU's final two shots both went wide and were taken by Jackson Endsley at 79:52 and by JP Melgoza at 84:37.

The goals in the first half were scored by Pelaez for CLU at 15:15 and by Andrew Reed (So., M, Portland, OR/Franklin HS) for Willamette at 31;16. Pelaez shot from outside the right edge of the 18-yard box and sent the ball off the left post and into the goal. Reed shot from three yards after a well-placed corner kick by Kim.

During the game, Carnovale earned three saves for Willamette. Brown made five saves for California Lutheran and Sharts registered two saves for the Kingsmen. WU finished with a 17-14 lead in total shots and a 10-6 advantage in shots on goal. The game included seven yellow cards, with four on the Bearcats and three on CLU. Willamette accumulated a 5-3 margin in corner kicks.

Also on Sunday at Sparks Field, Pacific Lutheran University edged out Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Calif.), 2-1. Archie Caldwell scored the winning goal for the Lutes at 77:09.

The Bearcats will host the University of California, Santa Cruz on Monday, Sept. 12. Game time at Sparks Field is scheduled for 7 p.m. (PDT).