Box Score SALEM, Ore. – An untimely red card forced visiting Whitworth to play most of its overtime contest at Willamette with only ten players and the Pirates could not prevent the hosts from rallying for a 3-2 Northwest Conference men's soccer victory on Sunday afternoon.
The Pirates dropped to 3-2-1 overall and 1-1 in the NWC while Willamette improved to 5-1-1, 1-0-1.
Sam Selisch gave Whitworth a 1-0 lead just over five minutes into the match with his third goal of the season. Andrew French was credited with the assist.
The Bearcats tied the match on a goal by Yazan Hishmeh in the 33rd minute, but only five minutes later the Pirates had retaken the lead on Andrew Flint's first goal of the year from an assist by Samuel Mean.
But the match took an unfortunate turn for the Bucs soon after Flint's goal. Whitworth's All-American defender Balin Larson and Willamette substitute Stefan Wutte were involved in an altercation. While Wutte was assessed a yellow card, Larson was issued a red card and Whitworth would play the rest of the match without Larson and a man down.
Hishmeh tied the match with just over 20 minutes to play in regulation when he redirected a long shot attempt by Austin Jacobson.
The Bearcats won the match early in the extra period when Tyler Yates was able to get to a through ball and head it over Whitworth keeper Shane Nishioka-Healy.
Willamette outshot the Pirates 11-8. Nishioka-Healy finished with four saves while Bearcat keeper Braydon Calder made two stops.
Whitworth finally gets to play an official match at home when the Bucs host George Fox next Saturday at 2:30 pm. A home match against Pacific will follow on Sunday.
