Garcia Registers Six Goals as Bearcats Earn 19-5 Victory over Loggers

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Maddie Garcia (So., MID, Encinitas, CA/San Dieguito Academy) scored six goals and Catie Kawamura (So., MID, San Diego, CA/San Diego International Studies) added three goals and three assists to lead Willamette University to a 19-5 win over the University of Puget Sound in a Northwest Conference game at the Sparks Field on Saturday, May 1. A total of eight Bearcats scored at least one goal for Willamette.

The Bearcats upped their record to 7-3 on the season, including 6-3 in the NWC. Puget Sound dropped to 4-6 overall, 4-4 in the NWC.

Garcia leads the Bearcats with 38 goals on the season. Kawamura ranks first for Willamette in overall scoring with 30 goals and 16 assists for 46 points.

Analise Wilson (Fy., MID, Temecula, CA/Chaparral HS) opened the scoring for WU at 24:56 on a free position shot. Just 48 seconds later, the Bearcats scored again on a goal by Laura Kelly (Jr., ATT/MID, Mountain View, CA/Mountain View HS). The lead reached 3-0 at 19:33 on Kawamura's first goal of the day on a free position shot.

Willamette scored four additional unanswered goals to grab a 7-0 advantage with 9:44 on the clock. Garcia scored the fourth and seventh goals, while Lexie Andrade (Sr., ATT, Petaluma, CA/Casa Grande HS) and Anabel Ohsman (Sr., ATT/MID, Snohomish, WA/Glacier Peak HS) each tallied one goal in between.

The Loggers reduced the lead to 7-2 on goals by Emily LaRiviere at 8:43 on a free position shot and by Hayden Hotchkiss assisted by LaRiviere at 7:27.

WU closed out the half with five goals in a row. Kawamura started the run at 6:56 and Andrade scored at 6:08. Garcia tacked on goals at 3:39 and 2:20. Kawamura scored the final goal of the half with 38 seconds remaining for a 12-2 lead.

The Bearcats extended the margin by earning the first six goals of the second half for an 18-2 advantage. Two of the goals were recorded by Garcia. Puget Sound scored three of the last four goals, including two by La Riviere.

In addition to Garcia and Kawamura, other multiple-goal scorers for Willamette were Andrade with three goals, and Wilson and Kelly with two goals each. Ohsman, Kendyl Jennings (Fy., MID, Keizer, OR/McNary HS), and Tati Klenk (So., ATT/MIID, Truckee, CA/Tahoe Truckee HS) each contributed one goal. Kawamura's three assists led all players, while Ohsman added two assists. LaRiviere finished with three goals and one assist for Puget Sound.

WU starting goalkeeper Shelby Sawyer (So., GK, Marysville, WA/Bio Med Academy) improved to 7-3 with the win and was credited with four saves in 36:20 of playing time. Katie Hill (So., GK, Belmont, CA/Carmont HS) played the final 23:40 in goal for the Bearcats. Olivia Almy provided Puget Sound with four saves while falling to 4-6.

The Bearcats attained 24 ground balls and 13 draw controls, while causing 11 of the Loggers' 19 turnovers. Wilson led Willamette with eight ground balls, five draw controls, and six forced turnovers. Emma Canchola (Jr., DEF, Oregon City OR/Oregon City HS) achieved four ground balls. Kawamura registered six draw controls. WU outshot Puget Sound, 26-11, including 23-9 in shots on goal.

For Puget Sound, Bee Bridge supplied five draw controls. Hitchkiss amassed three ground balls, while Katie Minnehan earned three draw controls.

Willamette will host the Loggers again on Sunday, May 2 at Sparks Field. Game time is set for 1 p.m. (PDT).