FOREST GROVE, Ore.  Ridley Eastland-Fruit picked a great time to notch his first goal of the season, coming out of a scramble in front of the net to knock home the game's only goal in Whitman's 1-0 Northwest Conference win over host Pacific (Ore.) University under the lights Friday evening at Ledbetter Field.

The victory was the second in a row for Whitman (7-7-3, 6-3-3 NWC) and extended an unbeaten string to five games. The Boxers dropped to 8-7-1 overall and 5-6-1 within the league.

Eastland-Fruit's game-winner -- the second of his career -- at the 32:31 mark almost wasn't, as the Blues came tantalizingly close to finding the back of the net less than 10 seconds earlier.

A Pacific foul on a throw-in off the left touch line set up Noah Cavanaugh's free kick from about 30 yards out. Cavanaugh lofted a ball deep into the box and toward the back post where Gabe Jacobson found space to flick a header toward frame.

Pacific goalkeeper Jack Orum had to scramble to his right and leap high for an attempted deflection. He got just enough of his gloved fingertip on the arcing ball to tip it off the crossbar and out of play.

The ensuing corner kick opportunity was taken by Jacobson, who like Cavanaugh was able to loft his chance toward the back corner. The ball made its way to ground this time, where Jacob Fritz pounced and connected with Eastland-Fruit who pushed it past Orum into the bottom right corner.

In contrast to Whitman's 4-0 win over the Boxers earlier this season, Friday night's contest was not filled with scoring opportunities.

The team's attackers broke free from defenders just long enough to register a combined 15 shots, eight of which came from Whitman.

Aside from Orum's acrobatic save on Jacobson's header, neither Orum nor Whitman goalie Owen Davis-Bower faced heavy pressure as each finished the night with just two saves. But that pair of saves were enough to earn Davis-Bower his fourth shutout of the season.

The Blues sit in fourth place within the league standings, one point out of third and two from second place -- with two games remaining.

Whitman plays at George Fox University (4-13-1, 2-9-1 NWC) Sunday afternoon, before closing out the season Saturday, Nov. 4 at third-place Whitworth University (9-7-1, 7-4-1 NWC).