Schneider's Two Goals Send Bearcats Past Lewis & Clark in Exhibition, 3-1

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Josh Schneider (Sr., F, Washougal, WA/Camas HS) scored two goals just 1:22 apart in the final 10 minutes to break a 1-1 tie and send Willamette University to a 3-1 victory over Lewis & Clark College in an exhibition men's soccer game at Sparks Field on Monday, Sept. 26. L&C is playing its first season this year and will begin competing in the Northwest Conference next season. Schneider produced the goals at 81:32 and 82:54.

Max Albano (So., M, Aiea, HI/Maryknoll HS) began the scoring for the Bearcats 5:04 into the game on a 17-yard shot to the lower left corner of the goal. He was assisted by Ryan O'Grady (So., D, Los Angeles, CA/John Marshall HS), who began the play with through-pass near the right sideline, and by Simon Stein (So., D, Orinda, CA/Miramonte HS), who crossed the ball toward the top of the penalty area.

Willamette played a few upperclassmen such as Schneider and defender Abdul Ali (Sr., D, West Linn, OR/West Linn HS) during the game, but filled most of the lineup with sophomores and first-year members of the team. The overall group played well and took a 1-0 lead into the halftime break with a 6-1 edge in total shots, and a 5-0 margin in shots on goal.

The mostly younger lineup continued in the second half. Lewis & Clark scored its only goal at 56:32 on a shot by Ben Schwartz. The play began with a through-pass by Kaushal Riedman from the midfield stripe. Schwartz broke behind the defense and scored one-on-one against goalie Alexander Tapia (Sr., GK, San Mateo, CA/Aragon HS) just inside the top of the 18-yard box.

Willamette and the Pioneers remained deadlocked at 1-1 for 25 minutes, until Schneider's two-goal outburst that decided the game. His first goal was on a 10-yard shot into the lower right corner after a header by Ali hit the crossbar and bounced out to Schneider. There was little that L&C goalie Ben Tallent could do to stop the ball from becoming a goal. Then, just over a minute later, Schneider struck again, this time on a 17-yard shot from the right side that went through Talllent and into the middle of the net.

The Bearcats achieved a 20-6 edge in total shots, including a 7-2 margin in shots on target. Schneider took six shots overall and had three shots on goal, while Albano provided five total shots and two shots on goal. WU earned a 12-1 advantage in corner kicks, including 10-0 in the second half.

Tapia played the first 61:45 in goal for the Bearcats. Ibrahm Garza (Fy., GK, Portland, OR/Cleveland HS) went into the goal for the final 28:15 and recorded one save. Tallent, who played all 90 minutes for the Pioneers was credited with four saves.

Willamette will return to NWC action on Saturday, Oct. 1 with a game at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. (PDT). The road trip will conclude on Sunday, Oct. 2 at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. Game time is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.