SPOKANE, Wash. – A deflected free kick fell to Joe Thompson's feet and he buried a match-winning goal to give the Whitman College men's soccer team a 2-1 overtime victory at Whitworth in Northwest Conference action on Saturday afternoon. 

Thompson's goal gave the Blues (6-5, 5-2 NWC) their second straight overtime win on the Whitworth Soccer Field. The loss was the Pirates' (4-7-1, 3-3-1 NWC) third in a row. 

Whitman dominated the first half, scoring its lone goal and forcing Pirate keeper Jesus Nunez to make five saves. After 20 minutes of slow play, Oscar Harding started the Blues attack with a shot on goal, which Nunez saved.
 
Austin Betschart got the Blues on the board with a goal in the first half. After Jacob Barsher came away with the ball in a chaotic moment, he found Betschart midway through the Pirates half. With no Whitworth defenders between him and Nunez, Betschart dribbled towards the goal and beat the Pirate keeper on the floor.

Though both teams produced scoring chances in the match's final 20 minutes, neither could break the tie as the match headed to overtime.
Whitworth nearly earned a victory just seconds into the first overtime on a flank service bid but it was Whitman who would score the sudden victory goal when Thompson discovered the ball at his feet and scored the match-winner. 
 
The Blues return home for a pair of matches next weekend beginning Saturday against Willamette at 2:30 p.m.