Box Score SPOKANE, Wash. – Visiting Willamette held off a late Whitworth comeback to force a 0-0 tie with the Pirates in Northwest Conference men's soccer action on Saturday afternoon.
The tie means that Whitworth has been eliminated for NWC title contention, clinching the league championship for Puget Sound. The Pirates (10-3-3 overall, 8-2-2 NWC) have 26 points in the standings. UPS (11-1 NWC) has 33 points in the standings and each school has only two matches left.
Whitworth controlled possession and the run of play throughout the match, outshooting the Bearcats 23-7 overall and 11-2 in shots on-goal. But neither team could find the net in the blustery conditions in the first half.
It was Willamette (9-5-3, 5-4-3) that broke through first. Tyler Yates intercepted a clear attempt at the top of the box and immediately put the ball back on net. His low shot to the bottom left corner beat Whitworth keeper Timmy Costa in the 64th minute. It was the fifth goal of the season for Yates.
Whitworth kept the pressure on in pursuit of the tying goal. Robby Ubben had a couple good chances. His shot from ten yards slipped just outside the left post and a header was saved by Willamette keeper Bryce Calder.
The Pirates finally found the net in the 81st minute. Sam Selisch worked through the defense to the endline and then fed a short cross to Sam Engle who was wide open in front of the net. Engle's goal was his fourth of the season.
Whitworth kept the pressure on in overtime. Calder made another diving save off of a header by Engle in the first OT. Then a final save in the last second on a long shot by Ubben.
Calder finished with ten saves for the Bearcats, while Costa had one save for the Pirates.
Whitworth will host Linfield on Sunday afternoon while Willamette heads to Whitman.
