By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Emma Blackburn (So., F, Los Altos, CA/Saint Francis HS) of Willamette University scored a goal and an assist, and three goalkeepers combined their efforts to shut out Pacific University, as the Bearcats downed the Boxers, 3-0, in a Northwest Conference women's soccer game on Saturday, Sept. 28 at Sparks Field. Willamette improved to 4-3 overall, 3-0 in the NWC. Pacific fell to 2-4 on the season, 0-3 in the NWC.
The game was scoreless at halftime, but Willamette tallied three goals in the second half. Blackburn scored at 61:07, while Shanna Keil (Sr., F, Danville, CA/San Ramon Valley HS) added a goal just over six minutes later -- assisted by Blackburn -- at 67:33. Julia Fecteau (So., F, Bend, OR/Bend HS) tacked on the final goal at 79:45. Willamette achieved a 25-9 advantage in total shots and a 9-6 edge in shots on target.
Blackburns's goal allowed the Bearcats to turn their quality play into a 1-0 lead. The play began with a cross from the right side by Gena Main (Sr., F, San Francisco, CA/Gateway HS/Bryn Mawr College). A defender near the six-yard box redirected the ball, which fell to Blackburn between the top of the 18-yard box and the penalty spot. Blackburn moved a bit to her left and then blasted a shot into the upper right corner of the goal.
Willamette's next goal started with a ball lofted by Blackburn over a defender and into the path of Keil near the top left corner of the penalty area. Keil took a strong first touch and one more dribble, before shooting from nine yards and sending the ball a few feet inside the left post.
The final goal followed a run down the right side by Fecteau. She moved around a defender near the edge of the box and continued toward the goal. She was seven yards out and just to the right of the goal when she shot the ball into the net at the near post.
Keil and Caroline Adams (Jr., M/F, Snohomish, WA/Archbishop Murphy HS) each took five total shots. Three of Keil's shots were on target. Blackburn created four total shots with two shots on goal.
Kristen Barclay (Sr., GK, Kenmore, WA/Cedar Park Christian School), Grasiela Quevedo-Ramos (Jr., GK, Salem, OR/West Salem HS) and Jordan Roue (So., GK, San Jose, CA/Prospect HS) shared the shutout. Barclay played the first 45 minutes and was credited with three saves, but wasn't seriously challenged. Quevedo-Ramos played the opening 39:37 of the second half and made two saves. Roue was in the net for the final 5:23 and made a strong save on a 13-yard shot by Karla Herrera-Zarate at 89:08 to keep Pacific off the scoreboard.
Queveda-Ramos was credited with the win and moved to 2-0 on the season. Saya Brown, who registered six saves for Pacific, fell to 2-4.
The Bearcats will remain at home on Sunday, Sept. 29 to take on University of Puget Sound. Game time at Sparks Field is set for 12 p.m. (PDT).
