By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University scored three goals in the first 33 minutes on its way to a 5-2 victory over Evergreen State College in an exhibition game at Sparks Field on Saturday, Aug. 26. The Bearcats held a 3-0 lead at halftime and increased their advantage to 5-0 in the opening nine minutes of the second half, before the Geoducks scored twice in the final 8:27.

The Bearcats will play the Alumni Game on Sunday (Aug. 27) at 12 p.m. (PDT), before opening the season at home against Northwest Christian University (Ore.) on Friday, Sept. 1. Game time on Friday is set for 7 p.m.

Freshman midfielder Caroline Adams (Snohomish, WA/Archbishop Murphy HS) recorded two goals against Evergreen State. She opened the scoring at 26:53 when she deflected a cross from Shanna Keil (So., M, Danville, CA/San Ramon Valley HS) to send the ball off the right post and into the net from five yards out. Keil crossed from the end line on the right side of the field, finding Adams who was running toward the center of the goal.

Less than five minutes later, WU upped its margin to 2-0, following a handball by an Evergreen State player in the penalty area. Kelsey Walker (Sr., M, Westerville, OH/Westerville North HS) converted the penalty kick at 31:26.

Adams registered her second goal 50 seconds later at 32:16. She scored from two yards out after goalkeeper Kaia Herrin of ESC was unable to hold onto a long through pass. Herrin played the final 20:21 of the first half after starter Rachel McClure was injured by contact while gathering a rebound. McClure re-entered the game at the start of the second half.

Willamette's lead reached 4-0 less than three minutes into the second half, when Meagan Lau (Sr./Fr., M, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) scored from six yards out at 47:52. Lau shot the ball into the center of the net after a free kick from the left side by Karmen Chavez-Sam (Jr., D, Eastvale, CA/Eleanor Roosevelt HS). Alli Young (Fr., F, Corvallis, OR/Crescent Valley HS) earned the Bearcats' fifth goal on a 5-yard header into the top right corner at 53:38 following a lengthy pass from Emmy Manset (Sr., F, Ventura, CA/Foothill Technology HS),

Just over a minute later, Kahiau Freitas (Fr., GK, Kaneohe, HI/Kamehameha Schools Kapalama) saved a penalty kick by Maddie Lockwood of Evergreen State. The penalty kick at 54:56 followed a handball in the penalty area by a Willamette player. Freitas dove to her left to stop Lockwood's shot which was low and headed toward the post.

The Geoducks got on the scoreboard at 81:33 on an unassisted goal by Delaney Rice. She scored from 18 yards out on the left side, as she sent the ball into the lower right corner of the net. Rice tacked on an assist at 86:11, when her short through pass set up Madison Early to score Evergreen State's second goal. Early shot from 18 yards toward right side of the goal.

Willamette outshot the Geoducks 21-8 overall and achieved a 9-5 margin in shots on goal. Lau of WU led all players with five total shots, while Lacey Jones (Fr., F, Portland, OR/David Douglas HS) took four shots for the Bearcats. Early, Rice and Lockwood each finished with two shots for Evergreen State.