By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Max Berner-Hays (Sr., D, Seattle, WA/Ballard HS) scored two goals on headers and Pierce Gallaway (Jr., M, Carmel, CA/Carmel HS) also scored for the Bearcats, as Willamette University downed Pacific University, 3-1, in a Northwest Conference men's soccer game on Saturday, Sept. 25. The win at Sparks Field improved the Bearcats to 4-2-0 overall, 2-1-0 in the NWC. Pacific fell to 3-4-1 on the season, 0-2-1 in the NWC. It was WU's first home game of the regular season.
Willamette controlled much of the action and finished the match with 65% possession, but the game remained scoreless until Berner-Hays headed the ball past Pacific goalkeeper Zach Aderinto and into the net at 69:16. Berner-Hays headed the ball from four yards out near the left post following a corner kick from the right side by Ryan Sato (Sr., M, Sunnyvale, CA/Homestead HS). It was Sato's second assist of the season.
Berner-Hays doubled Willamette's lead to 2-0 just over four minutes later at 73:36 when he headed the ball into the goal from seven yards away. Berner-Hays redirected the ball into the bottom middle of the net. The play began with a free kick from the left side by Jack Moothart (Sr., D, West Linn/West Linn HS).
Pacific cut into the lead on a goal by Jayden Adkison at 85:43. Adkison scored on a 25-yard direct free kick from the right side of the field into the lower left corner of the goal.
Gallaway provided the clinching goal for the Bearcats at 88:24 on a shot from the top of the penalty area. He sent the ball toward the lower left portion of the goal. Max Brown (Jr., F, Morgan Hills, CA/Ann Sobrato HS) received an assist after crossing the ball to Gallaway from the right side.
The Bearcats outshot the Boxers 19-5 overall and 10-2 in shots on goal. Willamette also gained a 7-0 advantage in corner kicks. Pierluca Carnovale (So., GK, Seattle, WA/Ballard HS) registered one save for the Bearcats. Aderinto made six saves for Pacific. A defender for the Boxers also recorded one team save by clearing a ball away from the goal line.
Although Willamette didn't score until the 70th minute, the Bearcats created several quality chances with eight total shots in the first half. The game's first shot, taken just 48 seconds into the match by Edwin Ortiz (Jr., F, Salem, OR/North Salem HS) of Willamette, almost went into the net after hitting the inside upper left corner of the goal post and crossbar. The ball ricocheted across the goal but remained in the field of play and barely eluded a Bearcat player near the far post.
