Abraham Nets Equalizer, but Whitman Scores in 86th Minute for 2-1 Victory

SALEM, Ore. – Senior Ella Abraham scored the game-tying goal in the 84th minute, but it was not enough as Willamette's women's soccer team fell, 2-1, to the visiting Blues of Whitman College Sunday afternoon at Sparks Field.

With today's result, Willamette falls to 6-7-5 overall and 5-6-3 in Northwest Conference play. On the other hand, Whitman improves to 11-5-2 overall and 8-4-2 in NWC contests.

In a first half that saw a total of two shots taken by both teams, neither squad could find momentum as Whitman held a slight advantage in possession percentage (52-to-48) over the opening 45 minutes of action.

The second half would be a different story, as both teams came out of halftime looking to put home a potential game-winning goal.

In the 53rd minute, Whitman got on the scoreboard first when Avery Cohen netted her second goal of the season off an assist by Leah Barnes. The play began with a long pass from Barnes to Cohen, who deposited the ball into the left side of the net from just over fifteen yards out.

Just over 30 minutes later, Abraham would find the equalizer on a laser shot from 35 yards out with her left foot. The rocketed one-timer sailed out of the reach of Whitman's goalkeeper finding the upper right corner of the net for Abraham's second goal of the season.

Both teams would go back-and-forth for the next few minutes until Whitman was awarded a corner kick taken by Ella Johnson. Johnson began the play with a corner kick along the far sideline, as she lofted a pass over the keeper box to Kiki Glorioso, who was running into the play and she netted the right-footed shot from two yards out for what would turn out to be the eventual game-winner.

Willamette attempted to apply pressue to Whitman's defense over the final four-plus minutes, but could not muster enough offense to put the game-tying goal into the back of the net.

Overall, Willamette concluded the game with an 11-to-6 advantage in total shots that included an 8-to-5 margin in shots on goal.

In between the pipes for the Bearcats was Sam Borngasser, as she registered three saves. Meanwhile, the goal-keeping duo of Lindsey Pasena-Littlesky and Seanee Still registered a combined seven saves for Whitman with Still picking up the victory and recording all the saves for the visiting Blues.

Willamette returns to the pitch on Wednesday, November 6, when the Bearcats close out the regular season home schedule against the Boxers of Pacific University of Oregon in a matchup that is scheduled to begin at 7:45 PM on Sparks Field.