In a game that "counted" for one side but not the other, the Albertson College women's soccer team outscored Whitman 3-1 Saturday evening at the Whitman Athletic Fields.
For Whitman, the game was a scrimmage and doesn't count toward its official NCAA Division III win-loss record. As an NAIA-affiliated school, however, Albertson counts the game as a season-opening victory. The Coyotes saw their first game action a week ago, losing a 3-1 scrimmage to North Idaho College.
"It was a good first scrimmage for us in that it gave us a chance to see a lot of new players in game conditions," Whitman coach Scott Shield said. "We started five new players, and we brought seven more players off the bench who are either new this year or played limited minutes last season. We wanted to win the game, but we still learned a lot."
A defensive breakdown in Whitman's midfield led to Albertson's first goal in the 20th minute of play. Sophomore Allie Dufault scored from 20 yards out, assisted by junior Leah Roach. The Missionaries failed to score in the opening half, although junior Kristen Berndt skipped one shot off the left post.
Junior Katie Ball made it 2-0 Albertson with an unassisted goal in the 11th minute of the second half. Midway through the half, Whitman failed to capitalize on a flurry of shots, one of which bounced off the crossbar. Albertson's Sadie Hughes, a first-year keeper, turned away two others in that sequence.
The Missionaries, who racked up 20 shots on the night, finally broke through with about 16 minutes left to play. A crossing pass from sophomore Kristen Mittelsteadt and a header from first-year forward Corina Gabbert set the stage for senior Betsy Neel's scoring strike.
Two minutes later, however, Alberston capitalized on another Whitman defensive lapse to make it 3-1. First-year forward Mandy Greif collared a goal kick from Hughes and scored.
"We didn't play as well as we are capable of playing, but it's still very early for us," Shields said. "We finalized our roster just two days ago. With a little more time and a little more work, we're going to be a lot stronger."
Although Whitman outshot Albertson 20-13, the visitors held a 9-5 edge in shots in goal. The Missionaries created nine corner-kick opportunities.
Sophomore Erica Goad and first-year keeper Courtney Porter split time in goal for Whitman. Each player picked up three saves.
Whitman travels to Cheney, Wash., on Sunday, Sept. 3, to play the Eastern Washington University junior varsity in another scrimmage. Whitman then returns home on Thursday, Sept. 7, for a season-opening game against Northwest Nazarene.
The youth of the Whitman women’s soccer team was on display as sophomore Molly Gordon and first-year players Corina Gabbert and Liz Forbes scored goals in a 4-1 victory over the Eastern Washington University junior varsity in a Sunday afternoon scrimmage in Cheney, Wash.
"I think we were all frustrated a little by our first scrimmage (a 3-1 loss to Albertson last week), so it felt great to play a good game today," Whitman coach Scott Shields. "We played much better defensively, and the offense produced four goals. We also played everyone on the roster. Everything about today’s game turned out well."
Gabbert gave Whitman 1-0 lead early in the first half, taking a pass from Kristen Mittelsteadt and beating EWU’s keeper one on one. Early in the second half, Gordon took a drop pass from senior Betsy Neel and scored from 18 yards out, doubling Whitman’s lead to 2-0.
Forbes gave the Missionaries a 3-0 cushion, knocking home the rebound after the keeper blocked but failed to hold a shot by sophomore Jennifer Doane.
Eastern Washington broke up the shutout with about 16 minutes left to play. Whitman completed the scoring with two minutes left, scoring on a play that junior Kristen Berndt triggered by sending a pass to Gabbert in the right corner. Gabbert fed the ball back to the front of the goal, where Berndt chipped it into the net from eight yards out.
For Whitman, Erica Goad and Courtney Porter split time in goal.
After splitting two scrimmages, Whitman plays its first official game on Thursday, when it hosts Northwest Nazarene. The game starts at 7 p.m. at the Whitman Athletic Fields.
Paying dearly for a series of defensive lapses, the Whitman women's soccer team dropped a 4-1 non-conference decision to Northwest Nazarene University Thursday night at the Whitman Athletic Fields.
The Crusaders, an NCAA Div. II team, improved to 4-2 on the season. The game was Whitman's first of the season.
NNU took charge midway through the first half, sparked by junior Katy McNutt's sixth goal of the season with 32:11 showing on the clock. It took little more than two minutes for the Crusaders to score again. Capitalizing on a Whitman foul, junior Carlie Stinton nailed a free kick from 22 yards. Then, with less than four minutes left in the opening half, first-year forward Alyssa Isaman scored off a rebound to make 3-0.
NNU's long-ball offense struck again in the second minute of the second half when McNutt gathered in a long pass and beat the keeper one on one. Whitman's Corina Gabbert, a first-year forward, broke up NNU's shutout when she scored her first college goal at the 73:31 mark.
"We had a lot of truly elementary breakdowns on defense," Whitman coach Scott Shields said. "But Northwest Nazarene is a good team, and their players stuck to their game plan. They played the ball deep and had the speed to run after it. We just didn't adjust in the back like we should have."
Lindsay Wymer, a senior defender for the Missionaries, missed the game because of an ankle injury. "That forced us to move a few people around, and we didn't adjust very well."
Sophomore Kristen Mittelsteadt, a starting midfielder, also missed the game, although Shields was relatively pleased with his offense. "We didn't play too badly on the offensive end," he said. "We had good possessions and good opportunities. We had a few unlucky bounces, but it was our defensive problems that cost us the game."
Whitman actually outshot the Crusaders 17-13, although the visitors held a 9-6 edge in shots on goal. Whitman also had four corner kicks -- three more than NNU.
The Missionaries return to their home pitch at 1 p.m. this Sunday to play North Idaho College. The game will not count toward Whitman's season record because North Idaho is a two-year school.
The Whitman women's junior varsity soccer team pinned a 2-0 defeat on North Idaho College Sunday afternoon at the Whitman Athletic Fields.
The Missionaries outshot the Cardinals 19-7 while notching a goal in each half. The game does not count toward Whitman's NCAA record and statistics because NIC is a two-year college.
First-year forward Corina Gabbert opened the scoring for Whitman at the 21:01 mark of the the first half. She took a pass from senior Sammie Arthur, dribbled around a defender and scored from 18 yards out.
With less than 17 minutes left in the second half, Whitman doubled its lead to 2-0 on sophomore Molly Gordon's shot from just outside the 6-yard box. Junior Kristen Berndt and sophomore Kristen Mittelsteadt had assists on the play.
"It was good to end our non-conference schedule on a positive note, playing well against a good team," Whitman coach Scott Shields said. "We played well defensively and offensively, and we solidified a few more players into their best positions."
Sophomore Erica Goad posted the shutout in goal for Whitman, making four saves.
Whitman begins Northwest Conference play next Saturday and Sunday at home, hosting Willamette and George Fox. Both games start at noon.
A single goal early in the second half was the difference as the Willamette women's soccer team slipped past Whitman 1-0 Saturday afternoon at the Whitman Athletic Fields.
Senior Susan Butler took advantage of a melee in front of Whitman's goal to punch in a shot with about 15 minutes elapsed in the second half. Meghan Anderson, a first-year forward, assisted on Butler's goal, which was her team-leading fourth of the season.
Whitman outshot the Bearcats 18-15 in the game, which opened Northwest Conference play for both schools. Both team had eight shots on goal.
"There is nothing negative to say about our play, other than we weren't able to capitalize on our scoring chances," Whitman coach Scott Shields said. "We had one flurry in the second half that included three golden opportunities. We had our fair share of chances, but we didn't convert any of them."
Corina Gabbert, a first-year forward, paced Whitman's offense with a total of 12 shots, five of which were on goal. "I don't think I've ever had a player with 12 shots in one game," Shields said.
Senior Kari Woody got the shutout in goal for the Bearcats with eight saves. Sophomore Erica Goad made seven saves for the Missionaries.
Junior Kristen Berndt, normally a starter for Whitman at forward, played limited minutes off the bench after suffering a concussion in her last game.
"I was very happy with the way we play -- just not very happy with the result," Shields said. "But Willamette is one the stronger teams in our conference. It was a well played game on both sides."
Whitman, 0-2 to start the season, hosts George Fox at noon Sunday. The Bruins, who lost their NWC opener Saturday at Whitworth, are 2-2 on the season.
Willamette takes a 4-0-1 season record to Whitworth for a Sunday game.
Two goals from Julie Alexander, one early and one late, powered George Fox to a 4-1 victory over Whitman in a Northwest Conference women's soccer game Sunday afternoon at the Whitman Athletic Fields.
The Bruins improved to 1-1 in conference and 3-2 overall. The Missionaries slipped to 0-2 in league and 0-3 on the season.
Alexander, a junior, scored in the seventh minute of play and then added her second goal with 10 minutes left in the second half to give George Fox a 4-0 lead. Sammie Arthur, a Whitman senior, broke up the shutout with her first goal of the season with five minutes left.
Molly Schaefer, a sophomore, contributed one goal and one assist to the George Fox cause. The Bruins produced 16 shots, nine of them on goal. The Missionaries generated 14 shots but put just three on goal.
Whitman continues NWC play next weekend, traveling to Pacific and Linfield.
With Sammie Arthur and Kristen Berndt combining for three goals in a six-minute first-half scoring flurry, the Whitman women's soccer team rolled to a 5-1 Northwest Conference victory over Pacific Saturday afternoon in Forest Grove, Ore.
The Missionaries, who play Sunday at Linfield College in McMinnville, Ore., improved to 1-2 in the NWC and to 1-3 on the season. Pacific slipped to 0-2-1 in conference and to 2-2-1 overall.
Arthur, a senior, gave Whitman a 1-0 lead when she booted her second goal of the season with 24:18 gone in the first half. "Sammie scored at the end of a beautiful play," Whitman coach Scott Shields said. "Berndt played the ball from the corner to the top of the 18-yard box, where Alisa Larson-Xu slotted a pass to Sammie all alone on the far side of goal."
Berndt, a junior, scored her first goal of the game -- and the season -- at the 27:43 mark. She buried a header at point-blank range, scoring off a crossing pass from junior Alysse Ginkel. Less than three minutes later, Berndt made it 3-0 Whitman with a shot from the outside to the far post. A throw-in from sophomore Kristen Mittelsteadt set up the shot.
Midway through the second half, Pacific trimmed its deficit to 3-1 when Tessa Krebs scored after collecting a shot that bounced off Whitman keeper Courtney Porter.
"Pacific was all over us for a few minutes, but we came right back," Shields said. With less than 18 minutes remaining, Whitman senior Lindsay Wymer headed home a corner kick from sophomore Molly Gordon. "That was Lindsay's first college goal," Shields said. "As a defender, she hasn't had many opportunities, but she was perfect on that one."
Ginkel, a transfer from Walla Walla Community College, finished off the scoring with five minutes left on the clock. Ginkel's first Whitman goal came courtesy of a long crossing pass from first-year forward Liz Forbes.
Whitman's offense was highly efficient, putting 10 of its 13 shots on goal with five in the net. Pacific took nine shots, four of them on goal.
"This was a fantastic game for us today, and it was one we needed to get some of our confidence back," Shields said. "We've had games where nothing went in. It was just the opposite today, so maybe we're even now."
Sophomore Erica Goad played the first 66 minutes in goal for Whitman, making one save. Porter made two saves in going the rest of the way.
One day after blitzing Pacific with five goals, the Whitman women's soccer team failed to convert on any of many opportunities in a Sunday afternoon 0-0 overtime tie with Linfield in McMinnville, Ore.
"Linfield is a good team, but we had so many chances to win this game," Whitman coach Scott Shields said. "I guess we used up all of our goals yesterday."
Linfield outshot the Missionaries 10-6 in the first half, but it was the host Wildcats who were on the defensive for most of the second half. Whitman enjoyed a 13-7 edge in shots over the final 45 minutes of regulation, thanks in part to Linfield's Amber Calcagno getting ejected with 58:54 showing on the clock. That meant the Wildcats played the rest of the way one player short. Calcagno was red-carded after punching a Whitman player after both tumbled to the ground.
The Missionaries finished with 22 shots overall, including 14 on goal. Senior Sammie Arthur and first-year teammate Corina Gabbert put four shots each on goal, with junior Kristen Berndt adding three more. Linfield keeper Allison Cartmill came up big with 14 saves. "She does a great job cutting off the angles," Shields said. "We shot some balls right at her, but she also made some great game-saving stops."
Ten of Linfield's 21 shots were on goal. Whitman sophomore Erica Goad and her defenders kept the Wildcats scoreless. "Erica wasn't under as much pressure, but she made one game-saving stop at the end," Shields said.
"We would have liked the victory today, but it was still a good weekend for us," Shields said. "Anytime you can go on the road in this conference and get a win and a tie, you're doing a good job."
Whitman, now 1-2-1 in NWC play, returns home next weekend to battle Puget Sound on Saturday and Pacific Lutheran on Sunday. Both games start at noon on the Whitman athletic fields.
Corina Gabbert's 20-yard scoring strike with 31 seconds left in regulation helped the Whitman women's soccer team salvage a 1-1 overtime tie with Puget Sound Saturday afternoon at the Whitman Athletic Fields.
Puget Sound, ranked nationally in two polls, saw its record slip to 5-1-2 overall and to 3-1-1 in the Northwest Conference. Whitman is 1-3-2 on the season and 1-2-2 in conference play.
Following a scoreless first half, the Loggers took control late in the contest when junior Adrienne Folsom booted her conference-leading eighth goal of the season. With just under 14 minutes left to play, Folsom beat Whitman keeper Erica Goad to a loose ball on the left side of the goal and chipped it into the net. Puget Sound's Lea John got the assist.
With time running out, Gabbert also struck from the left side, taking a pass from sophomore Kristen Mittelsteadt and then drilling her game-tying shot into the top right of the net. It was the first-year forward's second goal of the season.
"What a beautiful shot, and what a great time to hit it," Whitman coach Scott Shields said.
Whitman nearly won the the game midway through the first 10-minute overtime, but sophomore Molly Gordon's uncontested 15-yard bullet was punched just over the crossbar by Puget Sound keeper Kallie Wolfer.
Whitman outshot the Loggers 21-15 over the course of the game. The Missionaries put eight shots on goal, five more than the Loggers mustered.
"We had lots of good, quality opportunities," Shields said. "We made their keeper work, which is what you always want to do."
Wolfer, a first-year keeper, made six saves for Puget Sound. Goad had two saves for Whitman.
With 1:40 left in the first half, Wolfer turned away one scoring threat, diving to her left to slap away Alysse Ginkel's shot. Then, with less than seven minutes left in the second stanza and Puget Sound still clinging to its 1-0 lead, Wolfer and her defense survived a furious one-woman assault from Whitman's Kristen Berndt. After Wolfer stopped but couldn't hold Berndt's first two shots, Berndt's third attempt was headed over the crossbar by a Puget Sound defender.
"Ideally, you always want to get the win, but this is one of the better games we've played this season," Shields said. "We had a game plan specific to what we wanted to do, and we played well."
Whitman stays at home Sunday to host Pacific Lutheran, which dropped a 2-1 decision at Whitworth on Saturday. Puget Sound travels to Whitworth for its Sunday game. Both contests start at noon.
As it did Saturday against Puget Sound, the Whitman women's soccer team rallied from a second-half deficit to forge a 1-1 overtime tie with Pacific Lutheran Sunday afternoon at the Whitman Athletic Fields.
Sunday's 110-minute deadlock leaves the Missionaries with a 1-2-3 record in Northwest Conference play. The Lutes left town with a 3-2-1 conferrence record.
Pacific Lutheran took a short-lived 1-0 lead with a goal in the 52nd minute. Jackie Oehmcke got credit for the goal, her second of the season, when she and two Whitman players, keeper Erica Goad and defender Lindsay Wymer, collided just outside the Missionary goal. The ball popped loose and squirted just over the goal line.
"That was just an unfortunate goal for us," Whitman coach Scott Shields said. "The ball didn't bounce the right way."
Less than seven minutes later, Whitman pulled even on Kristen Berndt's team-leading third goal of the season. Berndt got to a loose ball in front of the Pacific Lutheran goal and tapped it home.
"When the other team scores in soccer, how your team answers says a lot about your character," Shields said. "It was great to see our side come right back and score."
With about 16 minutes left, Whitman's Corina Gabbert broke through on the right side and rifled a shot that Pacific Lutheran keeper Amanda Taschauner knocked through the end line. On the ensuing corner kick, Whitman's Alysse Ginkel clanged a shot off the crossbar.
Both teams took 12 shots over the 90 minutes of regulation play. Whitman outshot the Lutes 3-1 in the two overtime sessions. For the game, the Missionaries put seven shots on goal, two more than Pacific Lutheran.
"To be honest, we were a tired team today, after yesterday's overtime tie," Shields said. "Overall, though, we played another good game. We created a lot of good opportunities. We still need to work on finishing more of those chances."
Whitman hosts Whitworth next Saturday at 4 p.m. The Missionaries then travel to Portland for a Sunday afternoon game at Lewis & Clark. Pacific Lutheran plays host to Linfield and Willamette next Saturday and Sunday.
Jael Hagerott's penalty kick in the 25th minute was the difference as Whitworth slipped past Whitman 1-0 Saturday afternoon in Northwest Conference women's soccer action at the Whitman Athletic Fields.
The Pirates maintained their grip on second place in the NWC, upping their record to 6-1-1. The Missionaries, who play Sunday afternoon at Lewis & Clark in Portland, are 1-3-3 in conference play.
Whitworth outshot Whitman 13-6, although the Pirates put just three shots on goal, one more than the Missionaries. The home team missed a golden opportunity to take the early lead when Missionary forward Sammie Arthur, just three minutes into the game, bounced a shot on goal from the far right side. Whitworth keeper Leah Motz was in no position to make the save, but Arthur's shot was cleared by a Pirate defender.
Whitworth's penalty kick came after a Whitman defender's slide tackle came too late, knocking down a Pirate attacker. "It was a legitimate call," Whitman coach Scott Shields said. "We we're going for the ball, but we were a little late and got the player instead."
Hagerott's goal was her fourth of the season.
With 20 minutes left in the second half, Whitman nearly scored the equalizer on a crossing pass from sophomore Kristen Mittelsteadt. First-year midfielder Corina Gabbert, slicing to the goal from the right side, nudged an uncontested header just wide of the near post.
Of Whitman's six shots, junior forward Kristen Berndt took four, including one on goal.
Despite the loss, Shields was pleased with his team's play against one of the top teams in the conference. "There's a reason why they're in second place," he said. "They're a very solid team, top to bottom. They don't make a lot of mistakes."
For Whitman, Saturday's one-goal loss came on the heels of three consecutive overtime ties. "We've been close in all of these games, so it's frustrating to not come away with any victories," Shields said. "We haven't had the ball bouncing our way."
Two minutes after misfiring on penalty kick, Sammie Arthur stole a ball and drilled an 18-yard bullet into the top left corner of the net to give the Whitman women's soccer team a 1-0 victory Sunday afternoon at Lewis & Clark in Portland, Ore.
The Missionaries, who dropped a 1-0 decision Saturday to a tough Whitworth squad, wrapped up the first half of its Northwest Conference season with a 2-3-3 record. Lewis Clark finished its first half with a 1-6-1 conference mark.
Playing on a slick, rain-soaked artificial turf field, Arthur was knocked to the ground inside the box with about 12 minutes to play, drawing the penalty kick. After missing the freebie high and right, the senior forward redeemed herself by picking off a Pioneer pass and sending a rocket past keeper Nora Germano with 9:27 left to play.
"Sammie just buried what was a beautiful shot," Whitman coach Scott Shields said. "It was one of the nicest goals I've seen her make in her four-year career at Whitman."
Booting her third goal of the season, Arthur upped her Missionary career total to 28.
Lewis & Clark started its women's soccer program in 2004, and Arthur has tormented the Pioneers ever since. Sunday's goal was her sixth in the five games the two schools have played, all of which ended in Whitman victories. Arthur notched a hat trick against the Pioneers in a game played in Walla Walla in November of 2004.
Neither side mustered much offense in Sunday's first half. Whitman outshot their hosts 4-2 in the opening 45 minutes, although each team put just one shot on goal.
"Lewis & Clark's turf is super fast, and it normally takes us the first half to get used to the surface," Shields said. "By halftime, we were confident we get could get a victory."
The Missionaries dominated the second half, keeping the ball on Lewis & Clark's side of the field for most of the period. The Pioneers failed to generate a single shot over the final 45 minutes. "The last 30 minutes in particular was all us," Shield said.
Surrendering just two shots for the game was a season-best effort for the Missionary defense. "Our defense really hasn't allowed many shots on goal all season," Shields said. "We've been solid on defense."
First-year keeper Courtney Porter got the start in goal for Whitman and produced her first college shutout. She needed to make just one save, but she did a good job defending three Lewis & Clark corner kicks, Shields said. "She came out of the goal to punch a few of those corner kicks out of the air. That relieved a lot of pressure at key times."
The Missionaries finished with a 10-2 edge in shots, including a 4-1 advantage in shots on goal. Junior Kristen Berndt had six shots for Whitman, two on goal.
Whitman starts the second half of its NWC season next weekend on the road, playing at George Fox on Saturday and Willamette on Sunday.
In its worst game of the first half, Whitman fell 4-1 to George Fox last month in Walla Walla. It marked the only conference game this season in which the Missionaries have given up more than one goal. Whitman lost 1-0 to Willamette last month.
The Whitman women's soccer team kicked off the second half of its Northwest Conference schedule in fine fashion Saturday afternoon, shutting out George Fox 3-0 in Newberg, Ore.
The Missionaries, who lost to the Bruins 4-1 last month in Walla Walla, evened their NWC record at 3-3-3. George Fox dropped to 2-6-1 in conference play.
Kristen Berndt gave Whitman a 1-0 lead with her team-leading fourth goal of the season in the ninth minute of play. Sammie Arthur started the scoring play, taking a pass from Betsy Neel near the top of the keeper's box. Arthur turned and fed Berndt streaking toward the goal. Berndt raced around her defender, faked right and then fired her scoring shot to the left of George Fox keeper Jessica Cardwell.
Arthur triggered a similar scoring play in the 26th minute, with teammate Corina Gabbert finishing for her third goal of the season.
"Trying to capitalize on opportunities early in the game is something we've tried to focus on," Whitman coach Scott Shields said. "It felt great to make that work and get a lead by halftime. Sammie made two beautiful passes, and then we finished one-on-one against the keeper."
Whitman sophomore Sarah Nostdahl, a defender, completed the scoring with an unassisted 35-yard strike with just under 12 minutes left in the game. It was Nostdal's first college goal. "Sarah started today in place of Erin Frame, who was out with a bad foot," Shields said. "She hit a great high into the upper right corner of the net."
Sophomore Erica Goad made six saves in goal for the Missionaries to claim her second shutout of the season.
The victory moves Whitman into fifth place in the nine-school conference. The Missionaries play Sunday at first-place Willamette.
In a game that eventually ended in a 1-1 overtime tie, the Whitman women's soccer team came within eight minutes of beating nationally-ranked Willamette 1-0 in regulation time Sunday afternoon in Salem, Ore.
Although Whitman took just two corner kicks on the day, one of them led to a 1-0 Missionary lead early in the second half. Sophomore Molly Gordon sent the kick to the near post, where junior Kristen Berndt knocked the ball into the upper corner of the net for her team-leading fifth goal of the season.
That lead held until Willamette got the equalizer with just over eight minutes left in regulation. Kelsey Rogel got her first goal of the season for the Bearcats, scoring off a goal-mouth scramble that followed a Willamette free kick from 35 yards out.
Willamette outshot Whitman 4-3 in the two 10-minute overtime periods. For the game, the Bearcats outshot the Missionaries 16-14, which included an 8-6 edge in shots on goal.
"It was a great game, and we played well," Whitman coach Scott Shields said. "We had a couple of opportunies in the first half, but their keeper made good saves in both cases."
First-year keeper Courtney Porter went the distance in goal for Whitman, making seven saves. Willamette took 18 corner kicks on the day. "Courtney punched a bunch of those away," Shields said. "She was rock solid the whole way."
The tie leaves Willamette in first place in the the Northwest Conference with an 8-1-1 record. The Bearcats, who beat Whitman 1-0 earlier this season in Walla Walla, are 11-1-2 on the season and ranked 13th nationally.
Whitman, now 3-4-4 in conference, hosts its final two home games next weekend. The Missionaries welcome Linfield on Saturday and Pacific on Sunday. Both games start at noon at the Whitman Athletic Fields.
Box scoreWinning for the third time in four games, the Whitman women's soccer team blitzed Linfield for a 4-1 Northwest Conference victory Saturday afternoon at the Whitman Athletics Fields. The game was preceded by "senior appreciation" ceremonies for seven Whitman seniors and their parents.
Seniors Betsy Neel and Sammie Arthur booted goals early in the second half as the Missionaries pulled away to a 4-0 lead and coasted home to victory. Junior Kristen Berndt knocked in a pair of first-half goals to set the tone.
"Scoring the early goals was nice," Whitman coach Scott Shields said. "That certainly takes the pressure off the defense."
Whitman peppered Linfield's defense with 10 first-half shots, five of them on goal and many of them one-on-one opportunities against keeper Allison Cartmill. "We worked all week on beating Linfield's offside trap, and we were successful in doing that in the first half," Shields said.
Assisted by first-year forward Corina Gabbert, Berndt got her first goal just five minutes into the game. She beat the defense down the right side and fired an open 20-yard shot over Cartmill's head and into the upper far corner of the net.
Over the next several minutes, sophomore Kristen Mittelsteadt, Berndt and Arthur just missed on shots as Whitman kept up the pressure. The Missionaries outshot Linfield 7-0 in the first 20 minutes of play.
With 14 minutes left in the half, Berndt made it 2-0 Whitman when she cut across the center of the field and scored from 15 yards, bouncing a shot off the far post and into the net. Arthur got the assist.
Four minutes into the second half, Whitman pushed its lead to 3-0. Neel played a long ball up the right side as Arthur and Cartmill arrived at the spot at the same time. Both players failed to get a foot on the ball as it continued bouncing toward Linfield's goal. "Linfield's keeper made the right play on the ball, but when both players missed, Sammie's momentum took her right to the ball and an open net," Shields said.
Arthur nearly picked up a second goal seven minutes later when she beat two defenders and fired a shot off the crossbar. Sophomore Molly Gordon collected the ball on the left side and sent a cross to the far post. Neel picked the ball out of the the air, deflecting it into the net for a 4-0 Missionary lead.
Less than two minutes later, Linfield sophomore Kelli Gillespie got the Wildcats on the scoreboard with her third goal of the season. Senior Chelsey Stoltz assisted on the play. "Linfield made some adjustments at halftime and did a good job of flooding the 18-yard box with people," Shields said. "The ball bounced around and ended up with the right Linfield player and an open net."
That was it for the scoring, however, as Whitman won for the third time in its last four meetings with Linfield. Earlier this season in McMinnville, Ore., the two sides battled to a scoreless overtime tie. Last fall, Whitman swept the season series with Berndt and Arthur scoring two goals each in one game, and Neel getting a goal in the other victory.
Berndt leads the Missionaries in scoring this season with seven goals. Arthur upped her season scoring totals to four goals and three assists. Neel's Saturday goal was her first of the season.
"We could have scored more goals today than we did, but we'll take two goals in each half any day," Shields said. "Linfield is a quality team with some outstanding athletes."
Sophomore Erica Goad played the first 74 minutes in goal for the Missionaries, making two saves. Courtney Porter, a first-year keeper, finished the game with two more saves.
Whitman finished with 14 shots, seven on goal. Linfield got its offense going in the second half, finishing with eight shots, five on goal.
The seven Whitman seniors honored prior to the game were Arthur, Neel, Erin Frame, Megan McConnville, Sahalie Hashim, Vanessa Warner and Lindsay Wymer.
Whitman continues NWC play on Sunday, hosting Pacific at noon. Linfield plays at the same time Sunday at Whitworth in Spokane, Wash.
Box scoreA breathtaking 50-yard scoring strike by first-year defender Elle Burstein lifted the Whitman women's soccer team to a 4-3 overtime victory over Pacific Sunday afternoon at the Whitman Athletic Fields.
With just 1:16 left in the first overtime, Burstein lined up a free kick in the center of the field, 10 yards inside the midfield stripe. With Pacific keeper Shannon Tillman playing forward just a bit, anticipating a a ball toward the top of the 18-yard goalie box, Burstein launched her 5-foot-5 frame into a low line drive toward the top-center of the goal. As the kick sailed toward the crossbar, Tillman backpedaled and stumbled slightly, reaching up at the last moment to get a hand on the ball. The improbable game-winning shot kicked off her fingers and into the back of the net, setting off a wild celebration among Burstein and her teammates.
"I wasn't expecting her to take a shot from there, but once she hit the ball I could see what she was trying to do," Whitman coach Scott Shields said. "It was an absolutely beautiful shot. I don't think I've ever seen anyone at Whitman score from that far out on the field."
A starter on defense as a first-year player, Burstein had taken just two shots in her first 12 games at Whitman. Sunday's game-winner was her first college goal.
With four victories and an overtime tie in last five games, Whitman is now 5-3-4 in the Northwest Conference. The loss dropped injury-riddled Pacific to 0-11-1 in conference play.
Although failing to score, Whitman dominated the game for much of the first half, outshooting the Boxers 9-2 over the opening 45 minutes of play. Tillman kept Pacific in the game, making three saves prior to intermission. She made one of her stops by punching a rocket from Whitman's Kristen Berndt over the top of the crossbar.
Pacific turned the tables early in the second half, taking a 1-0 lead on first-year midfielder Becca Roth's third goal of the season. From the left side of the box, senior Stacy Sueoka played a ball to the far post, where Roth was waiting to smack the ball into an open net in the 53rd minute of play. Nine minutes later, sophomore Courtney Ratty scored with an assist from senior Katie Bailey to stake the Boxers to a 2-0 lead.
With goals often hard to come by in soccer, "We could have walked away at that point and said the game was over," Shields said. "It was great to see our side come right back. I honestly don't remember the last time we were able to come back from a two-goal deficit to win a game. It's been a few years."
Pacific's two-goal cushion lasted just under four minutes. Sarah Nostdal, a sophomore defender, played a ball to the center of the field for Berndt, who quickly rolled down the right side and fired a low shot into the left side of the net.
Four minutes later, Berndt drove the ball deep into the right corner and uncorked a perfect cross to the center of the goal mouth. Senior Sammie Arthur emerged from a clump of combatants, scoring her fifth goal of the season -- and the 30th of her Whitman career -- on a header.
With about 15 minutes left to play, first-year forward Corina Gabbert made a long run up the middle field to set the stage for Whitman's third goal. Once the defense collapsed on her, Gabbert hit Berndt in stride on the right side for the go-ahead score. It was Berndt's fourth goal in two games, pushing her team-leading season total to nine.
Unfortunately for the Missionaries, Gabbert was helped off the field a few minutes later with a left ankle injury. The Boxers quickly took advantage of a Whitman defensive lapse, knotting the score at 3-3 with less than 11 minutes left to play. Pacific junior Meghan Fredette got free on a breakaway, hammering a shot that Whitman keeper Erica Goad blocked but couldn't hold. The ball came right back to Fredette, who hit the open net for her third goal of the season.
The score remained deadlocked at 3-3 at the end of regulation, although Berndt misfired on a one-and-one opportunity in the closing seconds. Whitman finished the first 90 minutes of play with a 21-8 edge in shots.
Neither side mustered much in the way of scoring opportunities in the first overtime period until Burstein teed up her game-winning shot from long distance. "I think Elle found a little extra energy for that shot because she felt a little responsibility for the Pacific goal that tied the game," Shields said. "She couldn't have hit the shot any more perfectly than she did."
Earlier this season in Forest Grove, Whitman rolled to a 5-1 victory over Pacific. Berndt scored twice and Arthur once in that game.
Shields was thrilled to get Sunday's victory in overtime, after seeing his club battle to overtime ties in four NWC games earlier in the season. "At last we've broken the curse of the overtime tie," he said.
Firmly entrenched in fifth place in the NWC and with fourth-place Pacific Lutheran still within range, Whitman hits the road next weekend for two more conference games. The Missionaries play Saturday at Pacific Lutheran and Sunday at first-place Puget Sound.
Pacific hosts Lewis & Clark next Saturday and George Fox on Sunday.
Box scoreWinning for the fifth time in six games, the Whitman women's soccer team squeezed past Pacific Lutheran 2-0 Saturday afternoon in Tacoma, Wash.
Senior Betsy Neel scored both goals for Whitman, which upped its Northwest Conference record to 6-3-4. That leaves the Missionaries just a point behind Pacific Lutheran in the standings, which heads to Sunday's games in fourth place with a 7-4-2 record.
"We're definitely on a roll and playing well," Whitman coach Scott Shields said. "We'll try to keep it going Sunday against Puget Sound, one of the better teams in the nation."
Over their past six games, the Missionaries have outscored their opponents by a combined 15-5. The only non-victory during that stretch was a 1-1 overtime tie with Willamette, which began this weekend in first place in the conference standings.
Neel, who scored her first goal of the season last Saturday in a 4-1 victory over Linfield, got the Missionaries on the scoreboard against Pacific Lutheran in the 36th minute of play. Kristen Berndt, a junior who leads Whitman in scoring this season, took the ball into the left corner and then crossed it back toward the goal mouth. "Betsy actually took the ball off her body and tucked it into the goal," Shields said. "It was a great finish."
The score remained 1-0 through most of the second half. With just under 15 minutes left, a scramble in front of the Pacific Lutheran goal led to Neel's second score, which was assisted by senior Sammie Arthur. "The ball was bouncing around and a few people had a shot at finishing before it came to Betsy's feet," Shields said. "She just knocked it straight forward. The keeper got her hands on it but couldn't keep it from rolling into the goal."
Both teams took nine shots on the day, putting five each on goal. First-year keeper Courtney Porter made five stops for the Missionaries, posting her second shutout of the season.
In a game earlier this season in Walla Walla, Whitman and Pacific Lutheran battled to a 1-1 overtime draw.
The Missionaries play at noon Sunday at Puget Sound, which beat Whitworth Saturday 3-0. The Loggers are in second place with a 10-1-2 NWC record.
Box scoreLosing for the first time in seven games, the Whitman women's soccer team fell 3-0 to nationally ranked Puget Sound Sunday afternoon in Tacoma, Wash.
Puget Sound's Adrienne Folsom booted one goal and assisted on the other two to power the Logger offense. The junior forward had three goals Saturday in a victory over Whitworth and now leads the Northwest Conference in scoring by a wide margin with 17 goals and six assists.
The Loggers ran their first-place NWC record to 11-1-2. Whitman slipped to 6-4-4.
"We were a bit off today and never seemed to get it going," Whitman coach Scott Shields said. "Puget Sound played very, very well. They're getting ready to play in the national tournament, and they played like it today."
The Loggers led 2-0 at halftime, even though the number of shots was nearly even at 7-6 in favor of the home team. Puget Sound dominated more of the play in the second half, outshooting the Missionaries 10-3.
"We created a few decent chances," Shields said. "Corina Gabbert was back from an injury and she nearly got to a corner kick in the first half. Most of our shots, though, were from farther out. We weren't able to work the ball into the box as deeply as we have in recent games."
Puget Sound's goals were more a product of good offensive execution than any defensive lapses on Whitman's part, Shields said. "Give Puget Sound credit," he said. "All three goals were beautiful."
"There weren't a lot of positives for us today, but overall it wasn't a bad weekend," Shields added. "We did the road victory Saturday at Pacific Lutheran."
Whitman wraps up its season with two games this week. After playing at Whitworth at noon Thursday, the Missionaries return home to play their season finale against Lewis & Clark at noon Friday at the Whitman Athletic Fields.
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With snowflakes falling, Sammie Arthur stroked a left-footed, game-winning shot early in the second overtime to propel the Whitman women’s soccer team to a 4-3 victory over Whitworth Thursday afternoon in Spokane.
Arthur, a senior, nailed the 31st goal of her Missionary career with just 1:57 elapsed in the second overtime. Taking a pass from Kristen Berndt, Arthur whirled from 20 yards out and slammed the ball into the upper left corner of the net.
With six wins and a tie in its last eight games, Whitman improved to 7-4-4 in Northwest Conference play. The Missionaries, just a point behind third-place Pacific Lutheran (8-4-2) in the NWC standings, conclude their season at noon Friday when they host Lewis & Clark at the Whitman Athletic Fields.
Whitman took the early lead Thursday when first-year forward Corina Gabbert capitalized on sophomore Kristen Mittelsteadt’s corner kick, knocking home a header in the 11th minute of play. It was Gabbert’s fourth goal of the season and Mittelsteadt’s third assist. “It was a beautiful corner kick from Kristen, and a beautiful finish by Corina,” Whitman coach Scott Shields said. “It was a textbook corner kick play.”
The Missionary lead lasted all of two minutes. But after Whitworth’s Jael Hagerott knotted the score at 1-1, Berndt answered back four minutes later with her team-leading 10th goal of the season to put Whitman in front 2-1. "Betsy Neel got the ball for us in the middle of field, started dribbling and then passed the ball through to Berndt, who finished one-on-one against the keeper," Shields said.
Down at intermission, Whitworth came out firing in the second half, outshooting the Missionaries 9-3. "We had to withstand a lot of pressure in the second half," Shields said. "They made some adjustments at halftime and kept us pinned at our end for quite awhile."
The Pirates pulled even in the 67th minute when Lindsay Oakes intercepted a Whitman pass and fired a game-tying shot through traffic into the goal. Eight minutes later, Oakes staked Whitworth to a 3-2 lead on a hard shot that bounced off the crossbar, right post and the hand of Whitman keeper Courtney Porter. "The ball was actually bouncing away from the goal until it hit Courtney," Shields said.
Less than two minutes later, Whitman got even after Neel rocketed a free kick from 30 yards that skipped from the hand of keeper Leah Motz to the crossbar to the ground in front of the goal. Both Berndt and Arthur were waiting, and it was Berndt who poked the ball into the net.
With 11 goals and three assists on the season, Berndt ranks second in the NWC in scoring.
"This was a long game today, so we need to regroup and get ready for Lewis & Clark," Shields said. "Hopefully we won’t be too fatigued."
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Putting the crowning touch on a superlative second half of the season, the Whitman women's soccer team blanked Lewis & Clark 2-0 Friday afternoon at the Whitman Athletic Fields.
With seven wins and a tie in their final nine games, the Missionaries finished 8-4-4 in Northwest Conference play. The victory moved Whitman past Pacific Lutheran and into a third-place tie with Whitworth in the NWC standings. If Whitworth loses its final game Saturday to Lewis & Clark, and if Pacific Lutheran ties or loses to Linfield Saturday, Whitman will finish the season tied for third.
"You always want to win your last game of the season, to send the graduating seniors out on a high note and to set the tone for next season," Whitman coach Scott Shields said. "We were successful in doing that today. All of our seniors played good games, and it's nice to see them finish with a shutout."
Over its last nine games, Whitman's only non-victory was a 3-0 setback at first-place Puget Sound. "I don't think we've ever finished a season with a stronger run than this," Shields said.
Neither team scored in Friday's first half, although Whitman outshot the Lewis & Clark 10-5. The Missionaries broke through in the 67th minute when first-year forward Corina Gabbert drove up the right side and slotted a cross across the face of the goal mouth. Kristen Berndt, a junior, was there with a decisive header to make it 1-0 Whitman.
With about 11 minutes left to play, Lewis & Clark keeper Nora Germano beat Berndt to a loose ball outside the goalie box, kicking it away. But with Germano offline, Whitman sophomore Kristen Mittelsteadt corraled the ball and fired into an open net. It was the first goal of the season for Mittelsteadt, who had three assists earlier in the campaign.
"Even though we scored the second goal late, I think the 2-0 score reflects how the game went," Shields said. "We had a lot of opportunities, and I don't think Erica (Goad) had to make any great saves in goal for us."
For the game, Whitman outshot the Pioneers 20-10, which included an 8-3 edge in shots on goal. The Missionaries also had a 6-2 advantage in corner kicks. Goad made three saves, two in the second half as a light, cold rain fell, to post her third shutout of the season.
Playing in just 17 games, Berndt finished with 12 goals and three assists on the season. That represents the most goals and points scored by Whitman player in at least a decade. When the final regular season games are played Saturday, Berndt will likely finish No. 1 in shots in the NWC and No. 2 in scoring.
Whitman seniors playing their final games Saturday were midfielder-forwards Sammie Arthur and Betsy Neel, midfielder Megan McConville (injured), and defenders Erin Frame, Lindsay Wymer, Sahalie Hashim and Vanessa Warner.
Arthur wrapped up her senior season with six goals and four assists. Neel finished with three goals and three assists.
Lewis & Clark, playing without a single senior on its roster, saw its NWC record fall to 3-11-1 heading into its final game at Whitworth on Saturday. "The Pioneers lost their leading scorer to a knee injury earlier in the season, but Lewis & Clark as a team has continued to get stronger the past few years," Shields said. "They have a lot of team speed and some good athletes."
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