Box Score SPOKANE, Wash. – Visiting Pacific University took better advantage of the gusty conditions at the Whitworth Soccer Field to rally past the Pirates 2-1 on Sunday in a Northwest Conference women's soccer match.
The Boxers improved to 6-1-2 overall and 3-1-1 in the NWC with an impressive trip through Eastern Washington. Whitworth fell to 5-4-1, 2-3-1 with its second straight home loss.
With the wind at their backs in the first half the Pirates controlled much of the play and outshot Pacific 7-3. Tiara Pajimola scored her team-leading seventh goal of the season after DeNae Vandam flicked on a throw in from Megan McCart to Pajimola in the penalty area. The goal came in the 17th minute and gave Whitworth a 1-0 lead.
But then after the teams switch sides, the Boxer used the wind to effectively support their counter attack. It worked perfectly when Ashley Park-Hunt sent a long pass up the middle to Kara Lankey, who split the defense and scored on the breakaway in the 62nd minute to tie the match.
Lankey then tallied her team-leading seventh goal of the season just five minutes later on a similar play. Her initial shot was saved by Whitworth keeper Andrea Stump, but she jumped on the rebound and found the net for the eventual match-winner.
Whitworth struggled to move the ball forward against the wind the remaining 30 minutes and didn't get a good look at a goal that would re-tie the match.
The teams finished even in total shots (10-10), with Pacific holding a slight edge in shots on goal (6-4). Stump made four saves for the Pirates while Kayla Davidson had three stops for the Boxers.
Whitworth returns to action next Saturday at Pacific Lutheran.
