SALEM, Ore. – Junior Drew Alexander scored the game-tying goal in the 89th minute and first-year goalkeeper Evan Bierman stopped a penalty kick attempt 10 minutes earlier, as Willamette University's men's soccer team earned a 1-1 tie against the Boxers of Pacific University of Oregon Wednesday evening on Sparks Field.
With tonight's result, Willamette moves to 5-8-6 overall and 5-5-5 in Northwest Conference play. Meanwhile, Pacific sees its record go to 8-8-3 overall and 6-6-3 in NWC contests. The Bearcats have one game left on their 2024 season following tonight's home finale.
After an opening 45 minutes where both teams combined for 17 total shots with neither team finding the back of the net, Pacific would get on the board early in the second half when Garrett Heuett netted his fifth goal of the season on an assist by Noah Gosch in the 49th minute. Gosch started the play with a free kick along the far sideline, as he lofted a pass into the box that was misplayed after a pair of Willamette defenders crashed into one another allowing the ball to drop to Heuett. Without hesitation, Heuett headed the bouncing ball into the back of the net to put the visiting Boxers ahead by a score of 1-0.
Holding onto the slim one-goal lead, Pacific would continue to apply pressure earning a penalty kick chance in the 80th minute. Stepping up to the challenge was Gosch, who was facing a first-year Bearcat in Bierman. Despite Gosch's attempt to catch Bierman off line by using multiple hesitation moves, Willamette's net-minder was not fooled as he quickly pounced to his left and knocked the ball over the end line resulting in a Boxer corner kick and keeping Willamette within striking distance setting up Alexander's heroics in the game's final few minutes.
Looking at a potential loss on home turf square in its face, Willamette got its lone goal when senior Simon Stein dribbled the ball along the end line before sending a pass through the box that found a streaking Alexander at the edge of the penalty area, as he unleashed a left-footed shot into the right side of the net for his first goal of the season to pull the Bearcats even a 1-apiece at the 88:40 mark of the game.
After Alexander's goal, both teams attempted to push the momentum in their favor but neither team could muster enough offensive to change the ending result of a tie.
Overall, Willamette outshot Pacific, 24-14, that included a 9-to-6 advantage in shots on goal. Senior Sean Kim led all players with six shots that included a team-high tying two on goal. Sophomore Tiago Palhetas and junior Rory McKee tallied four shots apiece for the Bearcats, while Pacific was led by Heuett and Evan Bleyer with three shots each.
In between the pipes for the Bearcats, Bierman registered five saves. Meanwhile, Pacific's Zach Aderinto tallied a game-high eight saves for the Boxers to earn his third tie of the season.
Willamette will conclude its regular season on the road, as the Bearcats take on the rival Wildcats of Linfield University on Saturday, November 9, in a kickoff that is scheduled for 11:00 AM in McMinnville.
