SALEM, Ore. – A late strike from Rebekah Hines in the 82nd minute put the Pirates on top in a 3-2 win over Willamette in a Northwest Conference women's soccer match on Saturday afternoon.
The Pirates (10-4-2 overall, 8-3-2 NWC) get their fifth straight win and split the season series with the Bearcats (6-6-5, 5-5-3).
Emma Ellerd scored her first goal of the season for Whitworth in the 14th minute with a header off a corner kick from Taliya Miyama. The Bucs took a 2-0 lead just before the half as Yacine Bitibale hit a strike off the crossbar down into the net for her seventh goal of the season.
Willamette would score its first goal in the 59th minute off the foot of Nina Krassner-Cybulski. Krassner-Cybulski would add another goal just three minutes later to even the score. In the 82nd minute, Yacine Bitibale fed the ball to Rebekah Hines who sent a shot from outside the penalty box in the top left corner of the net to put Whitworth on top. Hines' game winner was her first goal of the season.
The Bearcats had a 21-12 advantage in total shots, but the Pirates put together more quality chances with a 7-4 lead in shots on-goal. Sam Borngasser made four saves for Willamette and Paige Broadrick made two saves for Whitworth.
The Pirates will look to win their sixth straight match when they face off against Lewis & Clark on Sunday.
