By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
PORTLAND, Ore. -- Samantha Lute (Fy., D, Salem, OR/South Salem HS) of Willamette University scored her first collegiate goal on an impressive direct free kick in the second half to tie the score, but Lewis & Clark College broke the tie and won the Northwest Conference game, 2-1, on Tuesday, Oct. 3 at Griswold Stadium. Lewis & Clark improved to 3-5-1 on the season, 3-2-1 in the NWC. Willamette ended the game at 0-8-2 overall, 0-5-1 in the NWC.
Willamette trailed 1-0 after Celeste Schreifels of L&C converted a penalty kick at 25:13. The penalty kick was awarded when a Pioneer was bumped and fell down just inside the ride edge of the penalty area. Schreifels sent the penalty shot into the lower right corner.
Lute found the equalizer with her well-placed free kick from 21 yards at 65:47. The direct kick was awarded when Natalie Rodriguez-De La Torre of Willamette was fouled just outside the top of the 18-yard box. Lute provided the Bearcats with a powerful shot that hit the net in the top right corner.
Seven minutes later, Kate Meinhard of Lewis & Clark gave the Pioneers the lead at 2-1. Carson Warfield was credited with an assist on the play. Meinhard shot into the top of the goal from six yards after a 25-yard free kick by Warfield hit the crossbar and was slightly deflected by WU goalkeeper Siera Edwards (So., GK, Portland, OR/Sunset HS). It was Meinhard's first goal of the season.
Willamette was playing its third game in four days after taking on Whitworth University on Saturday and Whitman College on Sunday. The Bearcats lost all three games by 2-1 scores, despite playing well for most of all three contests. Lewis & Clark played games on Wednesday, Sept. 27 and on Saturday.
On Tuesday, both teams did well at reaching the final third, but in the run of play the Bearcats and the Pioneers were strong on defense. The three goals were scored on set pieces.
Lewis & Clark earned a 16-5 margin in total shots and a 9-5 edge in shots on goal. Edwards recorded seven saves for the Bearcats, while L&C goalkeeper Sophia Young made four saves. Both teams were awarded three corner kicks.
Megan Yanagi of the Pioneers topped all players with five total shots and two shots on goal. For Willamette, Jaime Haysman Boaler (So., D, Stanford, CA/Notre Dame HS) was the only Bearcat with more than one shots, as she finished with a total of two shots, both on target.
Willamette will return to action on Friday, Oct. 6 with a home game against Pacific University. Game time at Sparks Field in Salem, Oregon, is set for 5:30 p.m. PDT.
