NWC Men's Soccer: #11 Puget Sound 5 - Willamette 1

With the loss, Willamette fell to 2-10-2 on the season, including 0-8-1 in the NWC.

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SALEM, Ore. - The Bearcats of Willamette University scored first and put up a staunch battle against 11th-ranked University of Puget Sound, but the Loggers broke a 1-1 tie on a goal at 58:04 and eventually defeated WU, 5-1, on Saturday at Sparks Field.

The Loggers moved to 11-1-1 overall, 6-1-1 in the Northwest Conference, while Willamette fell to 2-10-2 on the season, including 0-8-1 in the NWC.

Willamette absorbed most of the game's attacking, as UPS built a 31-3 advantage in total shots and a 14-1 edge in shots on goal.

Even so, the Bearcats created several strong offensive surges of their own and took advantage of one for an early lead.

Greg Beasley moved across the 18-yard box on the play. He eventually took the ball past goalkeeper Pete Van Sant and a defender, then moved toward the goal and shot from nine yards out.

The lead didn't last long, as UPS scored just over two minutes later on a play very similar to Beasley's goal. Scott Blanchet provided the goal for the Loggers, as he moved past WU goalie Mark Bennett before shooting from 10 yards out.

Willamette was halfway to a tie with the Loggers when the game reached the intermission deadlocked at 1-1. The Bearcats continued to thwart the efforts of Puget Sound's attacking players, until Greg Swanson scored at 58:04 on a shot from the top right corner of the penalty area.

Swanson's goal gave the Loggers momentum, and they responded with another goal at 62:36. Mark Conrad put the ball into the net from five yards out, after receiving a through pass from Taylor Hyde. UPS led 3-1 following the play.

With WU pressing forward over the remainder of the game, Puget Sound was able to add two more goals in the final 10 minutes.

Zach Samago scored on an assist by Hyde at 82:37 and Kyle Benson completed the scoring on an assist from Semago with nine seconds left.

Bennett made five saves for Willamette, while playing the first 45 minutes.

Scott Klein played the final 45 minutes for the Bearcats and achieved four saves. Van Sant did not register a save in the recording the win. UPS earned a 14-0 margin in corner kicks during the game.

The Bearcats do not play again until next weekend, when they will take on Whitman College on Saturday, Oct. 20. Game time in Walla Walla, Wash., is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. (PDT).

Source: Willamette Athletics

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