SPOKANE, Wash. – An unexpected goal in the final seconds of the first half stood up and allowed visiting Whitman to come away with a 1-0 victory over Whitworth in a Northwest Conference women's soccer match on Wednesday afternoon at the Whitworth Soccer Field.
The Pirates (0-4-3 overall, 0-3 NWC) continue to search for their first win of the season. The Blues (3-2-2, 2-1) claimed their second straight NWC victory.
While Whitworth held possession for much of the first half, neither team found the net until Whitman's Ella Johnson lofted a long service into the penalty area from about 35 yards from the goal. Whitworth keeper Kate Nelson appeared distracted and the ball slipped through Nelson's hands and bounced over the line for Johnson's first goal of the season with 3.5 seconds showing on the clock.
The Pirates had a couple of scoring opportunities in the first half, the best coming when a shot by Rebekah Hines hit the cross bar in the 15th minute.
Whitworth continued to attempt to apply pressure in the second half, holding nearly 60% of the possession. But the Whitman defense did not allow the ball into dangerous areas and Whitman keeper Hannah Hagler only had to make a single save in each half to complete the shutout.
Whitworth outshot Whitman 11-10, but the Blues had a 5-2 edge in shots on-goal. Nelson finished with four saves for the Pirates.
Whitworth will host Pacific (Ore.) on Saturday at noon.
