Box Score SPOKANE, Wash. – After losing by a 2-0 margin at Whitman in Friday's Northwest Conference women's soccer opener for both schools, Whitworth returned the favor with a 2-0 win over the visiting Missionaries on Sunday afternoon.
The Pirates ended a two-match losing skid and improved to 4-2 overall and 1-1 in the NWC this season. Whitman, off to its best start in more than a decade, dropped to 5-1, 1-1 with its first loss.
Jami Hegg converted a penalty kick in the 79th minute and Jackie Day took advantage of a Whitman misplay in the 82nd minute to pull away from what had been a tense scoreless draw.
"It was a hot day and there were some fatigued legs after Friday's game," said Whitworth head coach Jael Hagerott. "I am pleased with the response of the team—they persevered and were rewarded with the result."
Neither team had a great look at goal in the first half. All three of the shots that were on-net, two by Whitman and one by Whitworth, were from distance.
But the second half was a different story. The Missionaries had the first good opportunity when an intercepted pass deep in Pirate territory gave Kelsey Roehner a good look from less than five yards. But Whitworth keeper Andrea Stump made the point-blank save and Roehner's follow-up shot went wide.
The Pirates finally got on the board late in the contest when Amy Sterk flicked a ball forward to Tiara Pajimola, who was fouled in the penalty area by Whitman keeper Emily Davis and a defender. Hegg stepped to the line and finished into the left half of the net for her first goal of the season.
Just three minutes later Davis came out to clear a ball, but her hard kick bounced off of Day and back into the net for an important insurance goal. It was also Day's first goal of the year.
"We struggled to break through their back line in the first half," Hagerott said. "but a great run by Tiara generated the PK and full credit to Jami for stepping up and putting the ball away. Our second goal was generated solely through the work of Jackie, who finished off a keeper error."
Stump had one more diving save, this time on a header by Justine Kovak with less than a minute to play, preserving the shutout.
The Missionaries finished with a 16-9 edge in total shots, but only a 7-5 advantage in shots on-goal. Stump made seven saves for the Bucs, while Davis finished with three saves.
Whitworth and Whitman have completed play against each other. The Eastern Washington foes now turn their attention to the rest of the NWC, beginning next weekend in Oregon with matches at Lewis & Clark and Willamette.
