By Evan Giddings, Student Assistant Athletics Communications Director

SALEM, ORE. -- Last weekend the Bearcats took sole possession of first place in the Northwest Conference standings for the first time this season and will get set to defend that title this weekend when they host Whitworth University on Saturday, Nov. 1 and Whitman College on Sunday, Nov. 2. Game times are set for 1:30 p.m. (PDT).

Willamette is looking for its first ever NWC Championship in the men's soccer program's history. The team took one step closer last week.

WU defeated Pacific Lutheran University on Saturday, Oct. 25 by a score of 3-2 and then captured the top spot in the standings the very next day by knocking off University of Puget Sound 1-0. WU had been tied with the Loggers for first place in recent weeks.

The Bearcats' battle with UPS was a very evenly played match the whole way with Willamette having a slight 6-5 advantage in total shots. Despite Puget Sound holding a 3-2 edge in shots on goal, it was Willamette that made the most out of its two opportunities.

In the 32nd minute, Yazan Hismeh (Jr., F, Ventura, CA/Saint Bonaventure HS) scored on a header following a corner kick taken by Royce Romero (Fr., MF, Waipahu, HI/Punahou School). It was Hishmeh's seventh game-winning goal of the season and Romero's first collegiate assist.

On defense, Willamette shut out a Logger team that had scored an NWC-leading 42 total goals on the season. It was just the second time UPS had not recorded a goal in a game this year.

However, this weekend WU will again face a potent offense from the Whitworth Pirates, a team which has achieved an identical 8-1-2 NWC record and is currently a half-game in back of the Bearcats in the conference standings. Whitworth is 13-1-2 overall.

The Pirates will be led by the Northwest Conference's top scorer Micheal Ramos (Jr., F) who is tied with Hishmeh for the lead in goals (13), but is first in the NWC in both assists (10) and points (36). He has achieved four game-winning goals.

Between the pipes for Whitworth will be Timmy Costa (So., GK), who has won seven of nine games since becoming the starter. He is fourth in the NWC in goals against average (0.97) and is tied for fourth in shutouts (3).

Back on Sept. 21, the Pirates handed the Bearcats their only loss in conference play so far this season in a 1-0 back-and-forth road battle.

On Sunday, Nov. 2, Willamette will host Whitman, a team the Bearcats took into double-overtime before winning 1-0 on a header by Hishmeh in the 107th minute.

The Missionaries' top scorer this season has been Daniel Kim (So., F), who has achieved four goals and three assists, good for 11 points.

He will be backed on defense by a platoon goalie system, featuring Stuart Ellsworth (Sr., GK) and Nik Contos (Jr., GK). Each goalie has seen considerable playing time and has registered one shutout. Ellsworth started against Willamette in the previous match-up. Whitman is 8-9-0 overall, 4-7-0 in the NWC.