Box Score

WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- Despite missing three starters, the Missionaries did not miss a beat as they won their fourth straight match by downing Willamette, 3-1, this afternoon at the Whitman Athletic Fields in a Northwest Conference men's soccer match.
 
Whitman improves to 8-4-1 in conference and maintains its hold on third-place, while going over the .500 mark for the first time this season with an overall mark of 9-8-2.
 
The Missionaries sent their seniors off with a win -- it was Senior Day as it was Whitman's final home match of the season -- by controlling the tempo for most of the match and outshooting the Bearcats 25-9.
 
Fourteen of Whitman's shots were on-goal. Willamette fired five on target.
 
"One of the things we pride ourselves on is just how hard we work and I think that every team that comes in here knows that, "said Whitman head coach Mike Washington after the match. "We had four of our key players out today and I think this team showed its depth of character today."
 
The Bearcats got on the board first on a corner kick in the thirteenth minute. Sebastian Mortimer struck the ball into the net after it had passed several players in front of the mouth of the goal.
 
Four minutes later the Missionaries tied the match when Alex Barsher sent a cross from the right corner that Jesse Mirman one-timed into the goal. It was Mirman's second goal of the weekend and the season.
Whitman's Daniel Kim had two excellent chances in the first half; one was deflected by goalkeeper Braydon Calder the other Calder cradled after a point-blank shot. The two teams went to intermission tied 1-all.
 
The Missionaries broke the tie when Alex Barsher scored his team-leading eleventh goal of the season after Junpei Tsuji put a soaring free kick into the box. The ball deflected off of goalkeeper Calder's hands right into the waiting foot of Barsher who quickly converted.
 
With the match still hanging in the balance, Sam Perkins dribbled down the right side and launched a coiling kick that bent around a diving Calder and into the goal, the shot coming from about 30 yards away. It was Perkins' first goal of the season.
 
The Missionaries held off the Bearcats the rest of the way and had their fifth victory in their last six outings.
 
Coach Washington said of his seniors, "I feel sad. This is always the toughest time of the year for me when you realize you've got seniors graduating. You know, this game is about players and this is a special group of players."
 
Next Up: Whitman finishes the regular season this coming Saturday at Whitworth . . . the match begins at 1:30 pm.
 
 
 
Contact:
Andrew Holt
Whitman Sports Information Director
holtac@whitman.edu
509.527.5902