SALEM, Ore. – Karl Muelheims scored in the 61st minute to lift visiting Whitworth to a 1-0 victory at Willamette in a Northwest Conference men's soccer match on Saturday afternoon at Sparks Field.

The 16th-ranked Pirates improved to 5-0 overall and 1-0 in the NWC with their first road victory over Willamette since 2011.  The Bearcats, who finished only a single point behind Whitworth in the final 2014 NWC standings, dropped to 1-4-1, 0-1 this season.

Muelheims worked through the defense and scored from only seven yards away to get the Pirates on the board.  It was his conference-leading sixth goal of the season.

Whitworth withstood strong Willamette pressure over the final ten minutes of the match.  But goalkeeper Timmy Costa made key saves down the stretch as the Bearcats actually outshot the Pirates 13-11, including a 10-6 edge in the second half.

Whitworth will head to Linfield for another NWC match on Sunday afternoon.  Meanwhile Willamette will host Whitman.