Bearcats Fall to Pacific Lutheran Despite Strong First Half

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

TACOMA, Wash. -- Willamette University and Pacific University entered halftime with a 0-0 tie in a Northwest Conference men's soccer game on Sunday, Oct. 8. The Lutes went on to win the game 4-0, including a pair of goals by Owen Bliskis. Pacific Lutheran kept its hold on first place in the NWC at 6-0-2 (20 points) as the Lutes improved to 7-1-4 overall.

The Lutes lead the conference standings by a single point over Whitworth University (6-11-1, 19 points). Willamette is tied for third place with Whitman College at 5-2-1 (16 points). The Bearcats, who were playing their third game in six days and their fifth game in nine days, moved to 5-6-1 on the season.

Willamette played a strong first half. Both teams created good offensive chances during the first 45 minutes, but PLU owned a 10-6 edge in total shots. Goalkeeper Ibrahm Garza (So., GK, Portland, OR/Cleveland HS) of Willamette was outstanding in the first half with four saves, including three high-quality stops. He saved a point-blank shot by Trevor Thompson near the right post at 8:34. Garza added another solid stop at 30:15, as he saved a shot by Dane Helle. Garza also provided a save on a Pacific Lutheran free kick with about eight seconds left in the half.

Jett Starr (Sr., F, Portland, OR/Cleveland HS) narrowly missed on two quality shots in the first half. He shot barely wide right about 18 minutes into the game. He scored at about the 29:30 mark, but the goal was disallowed after he was ruled offside on a through pass. Tiago Palhetas (Fy., M/F, Mississauga, ON, Canada/Our Lady of Mount Carmel) missed by a small margin on a direct free kick for the Bearcasts from 24 yards out at 32:30. The shot by Palhetas went barely wide left as PLU goalie Nicholas Gaston dived toward the post.

In the second half, Robby Guyer of PLU scored a goal and two assists to go with the two goals by Bliskis. Craig Johnson assisted on two goals for the Lutes.

Thompson achieved the first goal at 49:26. He was assisted on the play by Johnson and Guyer. The Lutes took a 2-0 lead just over seven minutes later at 56:40 on a 17-yard shot by Guyer into the lower left corner.

Bliskis tallied the third goal at 64:16 on a 16-yard shot. He also scored at 72:28 on a rebound shot after Garza made a save. Johnson was credited with an assist on the first goal by Bliskis, while Guyer supplied an assist on the second goal.

Pacific Lutheran ended the game with an 18-12 margin in total shots and a 10-3 edge in shots on goal. Garza recorded five saves for Willamette and the Bearcats also produced one team save when a WU defender cleared the ball away from the goal. Gaston earned three saves for the Lutes. There were 13 corner kicks, with eight by PLU and five by Willamette.

WU players with two shots apiece were Starr, Palhetas, Dylan Ray (Fy., D, Torrance, CA/West HS), and Fernando Bitelli (Sr., F/M, Sao Paulo, Brazil/Roseburg HS, Ore.). Thompson led the Lutes with six shots, including three shots on goal.

The Bearcats will play at Linfield University on Wednesday, Oct. 11. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. PDT.