by Andrew Goodwin, Sports Information Assistant

SPOKANE, Wash. – Matt Kimball scored two goals on the way to a redemptive 3-2 victory for the Pacific Boxers over the Whitworth Pirates on Saturday afternoon.

The Boxers (4-1), who dropped their Spokane match against the Pirates (2-4) 7-0 last season, played with passion and heart throughout the match to make the most of their limited opportunities. Whitworth played a strong final 25 minutes to make the match close, but Pacific hung on for the win.

Early on, both the Boxers and Pirates had trouble hanging on to the ball. First touches were routinely booted away by defenders and neither squad managed much of an attack. 

The first true attack of the match turned in to the first goal. After a pair of low corner corner kicks, Eric Espinoza redeemed himself with an excellent cross to the right side of the goal box. Kyle Cacoyannis found the other end of the pass and headed it home for his first goal of the season.

James Curro took advantage of an errant pass by the Pirates to equalize. Curro intercepted a pass just outside the 18-yard box, bypassed Jesus Nunez, and rolled in the Boxers' first goal. Curro's goal came less than one minute after he entered the match.

In a second half slowed by injuries to multiple players, Pacific scored the first goal. The Boxers moved the ball forward with a short string of possession and Diego Lopes slid a short pass to Kimball, who sent a 19-yard shot to the back of the net.

Kimball struck again just four minutes later. He beat Pirate defenders to a long pass, dribbled once, and sent a goal into the top-right corner of the net.

"Kimball's a great player. He works hard and he's opportunistic," head coach Morgan Cathey said.

Jonah Snyder cut the lead in half in the 75th minute. Snyder was fouled on the edge of the penalty box, and deposited his third goal of the year into the net. The goal made the score 3-2 in Pacific's favor.

Moi Diaz had a chance to tie it up in the 76th minute. He received a flick pass from Snyder in the box, but dribbled too long and was dispossessed by Pacific goalkeeper Leyton Thommasen.

Diaz's effort was emblematic of the Pirates' efforts in the final 10 minutes. Whitworth created opportunity after opportunity, but couldn't find the back of the net. 

"If we could have played like we did in the last 25 minutes for the entire match, we probably could have won," Cathey said.

Up next, the Pirates take on George Fox in their last match of the home stand. The match against the Bruins begins at 2:30 p.m.