By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- Mack van der Velde (Sr., D, Voorhout, Neth./Summit HS, Bend, OR) scored a goal with 8:44 remaining in the game to complete a rally by Willamette University and send the Bearcats to a 2-1 win over Occidental College (Calif.) on Monday, Sept. 6 in San Antonio, Texas. Max Berner-Hays (Sr., D, Seattle, WA/Ballard HS) started the comeback with a goal about eight minutes earlier, as Willamette overcame a 1-0 deficit after Occidental scored midway through the first half. The game was played on the campus of Trinity University.

Willamette, which played three games in San Antonio over the Labor Day weekend, improved its record to 2-1 on the season. Occidental fell to 1-3.

The Tigers scored first at 24:40 when Kai Fiedelholtz shot from six yards after a long throw-in was flicked on toward the middle of the goalie box. Fiedelholtz shot the ball low into the net. Occidental remained in front 1-0 at halftime after a shot by Willamette's Jett Starr (So., M, Portland, OR/Cleveland HS) hit the top of the crossbar on a scissor kick with three seconds to go. Willamette held a 5-4 edge in total shots at the break, but the Tigers owned a 3-1 margin in shots on goal.

Willamette outshot the Tigers, 11-9, in the second half to finish with a 16-13 advantage in total shots. Occidental held a 7-5 lead in shots on goal.

The Bearcats tied the game on the goal by Berner-Hays at 72:58. Ryan Sato (Sr., MF, Sunnyvale, CA/Homestead HS) began the play with a free kick from just over 35 yards on the right side. Berner-Hays outdueled Occidental goalie James Cahill and a defender near the penalty spot to head the ball into the net.

WU kept the pressure on the Tigers. Ardem Baronian (Jr., M, Los Altos, CA/St. Francis HS) shot wide at 73:46 and Abdul Ali (Jr., D, West Linn, OR/West Linn HS) had a shot blocked at 76:07. Occidental missed wide on a shot at 77:34 and Baronian took another shot for Willamette at 79:39. The Bearcats moved in front 2-1 when van der Velde scored at 81:16. Sato started the play with a corner kick from the right side. Berner-Hays headed the ball down and on target, but Cahill made a save. Cahill was unable to hold onto the ball, and van der Velde scored from just outside the goal line.

At 84:14, Sato took a low shot for WU that was saved by Cahill. The Tigers earned three shots the rest of the way, including two shots on goal. WU goalkeeper Pierluca Carnovale (Fy., GK, Seattle, WA/Ballard HS) saved shots by Marcus Chmielewski at 86:50 and by Jack Meeker with 34 seconds remaining in the game. Meeker's shot was a 9-yard header that Carnovale deflected off the right post following a corner kick.

Carnovale recorded six saves for the Bearcats, while Cahill earned three saves for Occidental. Berner-Hays and Baronian topped Willamette with three shots apiece. Fiedelholtz was credited with three shots for the Tigers.

Willamette will return to action on Saturday, Sept. 18 with the start of Northwest Conference play at Whitworth University. Game time in Spokane, Washington, is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. (PDT).