TRINITY LUTHERAN 3, GEORGE FOX 1: Bruins Outshoot Eagles but Visitors Score More
NEWBERG, Ore. – For the second time in as many days, George Fox University's improving offense took more shots than its opponent but could not finish off as many opportunities, and the Trinity Lutheran College Eagles made off with a 3-1 win over the Bruins in a non-conference men's soccer match Sunday afternoon here at the Austin Sports Complex.
The Bruins manufactured 13 shots in the first half and 10 in the second to eight in each half for the Eagles, including a 12-9 advantage in shots on goal. The Bruins' Luke Hammer led all players with seven shots, six on goal, and appeared to have put the home team ahead 18 minutes into the game with a header toward the upper right corner off a beautiful cross from Luke Dickens, only to have Trinity keeper Daniel Nadeau come out of nowhere for a spectacular diving grab that kept the game scoreless.
The Eagles finally broke through in the first half with a pair of goals only 76 seconds apart. Luis Godinez scored at the 28:31 mark when he took a long cross from outside the right edge of the box from Armend Makolli and sent it back inside the far post from 10 yards out for a 1-0 lead. Shortly thereafter, Jesus Lires snuck a ball through the Bruin defense for Manix Alvarez, who scored from the left side of the box to the far corner to make it 2-0.
Hammer, who led the Bruins in scoring last year with four goals, put the Bruins on the board at 68:44 in the second half as Myles Sorokovsky fed him on the left side from the top of the box, and he angled a shot to the far corner of the net for his first score of the season.
The Bruin had four more shots to tie over the next 15 minutes, but three went astray and Nadeau made the last of his 11 saves on another try by Hammer. Another scoring chance was nullified when Angelo Florez was fouled on a breakaway, resulting in a red card being assessed to the Eagles' Justin Almandinger. Trinity played the last 13 minutes with only ten men on the field.
The Eagles scored a huge insurance goal with just under four minutes to go when the Bruins were called for a foul inside the box. Godinez stepped up for the ensuing penalty kick and nailed his second goal of the game, making it 3-1.
Luke Ridder and Ricardo Sotelo split goalkeeping duties for the Bruins, each making three saves. Ridder worked the first half and was tagged with the loss.
NEXT: George Fox (1-5) has completed its non-conference schedule and now begins Northwest Conference play Saturday, hosting Pacific Lutheran University at 2:30 p.m. … Trinity Lutheran (6-5) is off until Monday, Sept. 23, when the Eagles host Walla Walla University at 2:00 p.m.
