WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- Playing its third game in as many days, the Whitman College men's soccer team dropped a 2-0 decision to Colorado College Sunday afternoon in Salem, Ore.

Whitman, slipping to 1-2 in the win-loss column, outshot the Tigers 13-12, which included a 7-5 advantage in shots on goal.

But it was Colorado, improving to 1-2 on the season, that broke through with a pair of first-half goals.

"Both goals were mistakes on our part," Whitman coach Mike Washington said. "We didn't react well to a short corner kick on one of their goals. On the other, we gave the ball away on a bad pass and they counter-attacked."

The Tigers played a man down for most of the second half after one of their players picked up a second yellow card. 

Junpei Tsuji

"We had more possession and more shots in the second half, but that was partly because they lost a player," Washington said. "Our passing needs to be more consistent. We need to work harder and stay more focused on keeping the ball when we have it."

Junpei Tsuiji, a freshman midfielder, put all three of his shots on goal to pace Whitman's attack. Senior Conner Bottomly was two for two with his shots, and freshman Reid Shaw put one of this two shots on goal. 

Willamette University, which hosted Sunday's game, beat Colorado 2-0 on Friday, when the Tigers failed to capitalize on 20-9 advantage in shots.

Washington said his team's fitness, at least from a physical standpoint, held up well on Sunday as the Missionaries played their third game in as many days.

"If fatigue played any part today, it was a case of being mentally tired," he said. "That's when physical mistakes tend to happen, but our physical fitness today was good.

"Once our conference games start, we need to be ready to play two tough games a weekend. We went one better than that this weekend and played three."

Whitman plays its home opener at 3 p.m. next Saturday against Warner Pacific.

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CONTACT: Dave Holden,
Sports Information Director
Whitman College, Walla Walla, Wash.
holden@whitman.edu; (509) 527-5902