CCC Women's Soccer: Oregon Tech Ends Warriors Season

Corban's season comes to an end with an overall record of 10-9-0, 7-3-0 in Cascade Collegiate Conference play.

Freshman Erin Laughlin scored her 4th goal of the season, but Corban fell to the Hustlin' Owls of OIT on Wednesday to end its season. Photo courtesy: Corban Sports Information

SALEM, Ore. - For the second season in a row, Corban's women's soccer team had its season cut short by the Hustlin' Owls of Oregon Tech in the conference post-season tournament semifinals, 2-1, despite a goal from freshman Erin Laughlin in the 84th minute on Wednesday at Sparks Field on the campus of Willamette University.

Playing for the right to go head-to-head with the post-season tournament's top-seeded Cavaliers of Concordia, who defeated The College of Idaho, 6-1, both teams knew that a win would automatically put them into the NAIA Region I Tournament on November 3rd & 4th.

For the second time in two weeks, tonight's game was moved to nearby Sparks Field in order to take advantage of the field turf surface thanks to the amount of rain that the Salem-area had received over the past few weeks.

Oregon Tech wasted no time as Katie O'Brien took a pass from fellow teammate Janelle Stoner in the 6th minute and put the Hustlin' Owls on the board.

The play began with Stoner getting the ball deep in Warrior territory and flicking a pass back to an awaiting O'Brien, who lofted a shot from 18 yards out up over Corban's out-stretched keeper and into the back of the net.

Holding onto the one-goal advantage, Oregon Tech fought with everything that it had in the first half just to keep Corban off the score board.

The Warriors registered eight shots to OIT's two, but could not crack the Hustlin' Owls' defense and went into the break trailing by a goal.

In the second half, Corban began applying the offensive pressure but fell victim to one offensive run that gave Oregon Tech the insurance goal that it needed.

Stoner took the ball on the near sideline and led O'Brien with a perfect pass up the sideline right in front of OIT's bench.

After receiving the ball, O'Brien cut back towards the center of the field and found a wide-open Sharon Hernandez, who one-timed the ball past the Warriors' net-minder giving the Hustlin' Owls a 2-0 lead in the 60th minute.

With a never-say-die attitude, Corban continued to apply the offensive pressure and in the game's 84th minute the younger Laughlin received a touch pass from her older sister, senior Sara Laughlin, and one-timed a shot into the upper left corner for her fourth goal of the season therefore bringing the Warriors within striking distance.

Corban had a pair of scoring opportunities in the game's final minutes as a pair of Erin Laughlin corner kicks found the head of freshman defender Genessa Neeser.

Unfortunately, both headers went high over the goal therefore putting an end to any chances that the Warriors had of tying the game and sending it into a possible overtime.

Junior goalkeeper Karyn Allen played all 90 minutes in goal for Corban and recorded four saves, while Oregon Tech's Jaclyn Unruh registered a game-high seven saves between the pipes for the Hustlin' Owls en route to securing the victory.

Corban's season comes to an end with an overall record of 10-9-0, 7-3-0 in Cascade Collegiate Conference play.

Meanwhile, Oregon Tech pushes its winning streak to five straight games and improves to 12-7-1 overall, 6-4-0 in CCC action.

Oregon Tech earned the right to play the NAIA's No. 4-ranked Concordia on Saturday, October 27th, beginning at 2:00 p.m. at Central Catholic High School in the conference tournament championship game.

Even though both teams have already secured automatic berths into the NAIA Region I Tournament, the Hustlin' Owls will be looking to hand the host Cavaliers their first loss versus a conference opponent this season.

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