By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Patrick Charlton (Sr., F, Port Townsend, WA/Port Townsend HS) and Ryan Sato (So., MF, Sunnyvale, CA/Homestead HS) each scored a goal, and Josh Schneider (So., F, Washoughal, WA/Camas HS) assisted on both scores, as Willamette University built a 2-0 lead on its way to a 2-1 victory over Pacific University on Sunday, Oct. 27 at Sparks Field. WU improved to 10-3-3 on the season, as the Bearcats reached double-digit wins for the third year in a row.
Willamette is 7-3-1 (22 points, 3rd place) in the Northwest Conference standings. The Bearcats trail only Whitman College (8-2-0, 24 points) and Pacific Lutheran University (7-1-2, 23 points). The Boxers dropped to 2-11-3, including 1-8-2 in the NWC.
"I am really happy for the team to get another good result today. To be able to share this great result with Senior Day was really special. Having Patrick score on his Senior Day was awesome, and Ryan had an absolutely beautiful goal. It was a good day all around."
— Willamette Head Coach Jared Rust
Charlton opened the scoring at the 14:29 mark, when he sent a 6-yard shot high into the net off the fingers of Pacific goalie Jack Orum. Schneider sent the ball to Charlton on a square pass from just inside the 18-yard box. Sato doubled the margin at 51:32 on a powerful shot from just outside the box into the upper left corner of the goal. Schneider assisted Sato with a pass from the right wing.
Pacific's goal was scored by Nico Allen and assisted by Grant Rutledge with 1:55 remaining in the game. The goal was scored after Rutledge stole the ball from the Bearcats at the Willamette defensive end of the field and then sent the ball to Allen who received it in the penalty area, before slotting the ball low and into the left corner of the net.
Each team took one shots after the Boxers pulled within 2-1. Yushiro Shiomi (So., D, Kyoto, Japan/TIUA) of Willamette blasted a shot that went wide right at 89:20. Allen appeared open with a chance to tie the game on a shot at 89:47, but Ardem Baronian (Fy., M, Los Altos, CA/St. Francis HS) of Willamette made a sliding tackle to block the shot just as it left Allen's foot.
Although the goal by Allen gave Pacific some momentum in the final two minutes, the Bearcats had control for much of the game and outshot the Boxers, 18-7. Willamette also held a 6-3 edge in shots on target and earned a 4-0 margin in corner kicks. Nicholas Ballenger (Sr., F, Salem, OR/West Salem HS/Oregon State Univ.) of WU led all players with seven total shots, including three shots on goal.
Pacific did not register a shot until over 27 minutes into the contest, as Willamette recorded an 11-4 lead in total shots at halftime. The Boxers forced WU goalie Mason Kelliher (Sr., Wellington, N.Z./Wellington College) to make just two saves during the game. Pacific goalie Jack Orum achieved four saves.
Prior to the game, Willamette honored its four seniors as part of Senior Day for the men's soccer team. The seniors are Ballenger, Charlton, Kelliher, and Ruben Randall (Sr./Jr., D, Los Angeles, CA/ Cathedral HS).
Willamette will take on Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington, on Saturday, Nov. 2. Game time is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. (PDT).
