By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
FOREST GROVE, Ore. -- Kate Matthews (Sr., M, Bainbridge Island, WA/Bainbridge HS) scored the game's only goal 3:05 into the second overtime, sending Willamette University to a 1-0 win over Pacific University on Sunday, Nov. 4 at Hanson Field. Willamette concluded its season with a 12-4-4 overall record and an 8-4-4 record in the Northwest Conference. Pacific registered a final record of 2-17-1, including 2-13-1 in the NWC.
The Bearcats took third place in the NWC standings with 27 points (3 for each win, 1 for each tie), just two points behind co-champions University of Puget Sound (9-3-2, 29 points) and Pacific Lutheran University (9-3-2, 29 points). Puget Sound held the tie-breaker and received the NWC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III National Tournament. Willamette's combined record over the past two seasons is 25-8-7 (.713), including 18-8-6 (.656) in the NWC.
"It was a great win for us today to finish out a great season with a great team and a special group of seniors," Willamette Head Coach Hillary Arthur said. "Congratulations seniors. We are grateful for all you have done for our program. We love you and we will miss you."
Willamette outshot the Boxers 15-10 overall and 10-6 in shots on goal. In overtime, the Bearcats earned a 6-0 advantage in shots, including three shots on goal. The winning shot was the first goal of the season for Matthews, a defensive midfielder who also contributes on offense. She played in all 20 games this season and in 72 games in her career.
Shanna Keil (Jr., F, Danville, CA/San Ramon Valley HS) of Willamette began the winning play with a shot that was blocked by the Pacific defense. The ball rebounded to Jenae Arnold (Jr., M, Poulsbo, WA/North Kitsap HS), who passed across the penalty area. Matthews received the pass and then shot the ball into the net at 103:05. The game was six minutes and 55 seconds away from ending in a scoreless tie.
Each team took five shots with four shots on goal during the first half. WU goalkeeper Kristen Barclay (Jr., GK, Kenmore, WA/Cedar Park Christian School), who provided six saves during the game, earned three saves in the first five minutes, as she stopped a header by Gabby Glaser and shots by Kira Negrete and Emily Thompson. Saya Brown, Pacific's goalie, recorded her first save at 10:53 on a shot by Crystal Zamora. Both goalies had four saves at halftime.
WU forced a save by Brown following a corner kick by Arnold at 73:11. Karmen Chavez-Sam (Sr., D, Eastvale, CA/Eleanor Roosevelt HS) took the shot, but Brown was able to keep the ball out of the next.
Brown had three saves during the second half, ending with the stop of a header by Hannah Deighton (Jr., D, Long Beach, CA/Long Beach Polytechnic HS) at 85:37. Deighton's shot was the final attempt of regulation.
The Bearcats held Pacific without a shot for all 10 minutes of the first overtime and the 3:05 played in the second overtime. In the first extra session, Willamette created four shots and placed two on target. Isabel Duxbury (Fr., Seattle, WA/University Prep) shot over the goal at 91:40. Keil took the other three shots, missing wide at 92:28 and causing Brown to make saves at 97:24 and 99:28.
Willamette carried momentum into the second overtime and took advantage with the two-shot combination of Keil and Matthews -- with Arnold's pass in between -- to break the scoreless tie. The Bearcats played in six overtime games this season and did not lose any of those games, finishing 2-0-4. The pair of 1-0 wins were recorded in NWC road games at Lewis & Clark College on Sept. 15 and at Pacific on Sunday.
In Sunday's game, Brown earned nine saves for the Boxers. Barclay played every minute in goal for WU to earn her seventh solo shutout of the year. She also contributed to three shared shutouts this fall and completed the schedule with a 0.86 goals against average. Over the past two seasons, the Bearcats have shut out 19 opponents.
Big Moment of the Game for Willamette
An overtime goal is always a Big Moment, so it was easy to
select Kate Matthews for today's honor. Her goal at 103:05
in the second overtime sent the Bearcats to a 1-0 victory.
Matthews has contributed in so many ways during her career,
especially with defensive stops and quality midfield passes ...
important things that don't show up on the stats. It's great that
today's Big Moment is not just a stat, but indeed the key stat.