Box Score

Whitworth WHW (3-7-1, 0-4-0)

Whitman WHT (6-5-1, 6-3-1)

Whitworth WHW

(3-7-1, 0-4-0)

Final

Mar. 28, 2021

Whitman WHT

(6-5-1, 6-3-1)

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	F
Whitworth WHW	0	0	0
Whitman WHT	0	1	1

Game Recap: Men's Soccer | 3/28/2021 4:10:00 PM

Kraft Scores Second Gamewinner, Blues Top Bucs On Senior Day

WALLA WALLA, Wash. - Amidst blustery wind conditions, the Whitman College men's soccer team closed the season in style as Riley Kraft scored his second game winner in as many days to lead the Blues to a 1-0 season-finale win over Whitworth in Northwest Conference action on Sunday.

The game was also Senior Day for Ananda Gupta, Matt Reich and Sam Johnson who were honored for their years of service to Whitman soccer.

Kraft's goal came in the 76th minute with the Blues (6-5-1, 6-5-1 NWC) battling a major headwind for the entire second half. McCoy Hennes disapossed the Bucs in the attacking third and played a ball down the left flank to Edwin Romero. Oscar Harding received Romero's service at the far post and laid a ball central to Kraft who one-timed the pass into the back of the net.

Matt Reich and Bernie Jones earned the combined shutout in net for the Blues. Reich started and posted five saves with Jones keeping a clean sheet for the final 45.

Whitworth had a handful of chances and the lionshare of the possession early in the first half. Reich was up for the task for the Blues who were short-handed due to a series of injuries suffered in Saturday's overtime win. Reich tipped a lofted ball over the crossbar and extended to turn a header wide of the far post in just the first 10 minutes.

The Blues began to find their offensive shape and possession through the midfield. Whitworth continued to have the majority of chances on goal but Reich came up big yet again in the final 10 minutes of the first half, turning a Chris Barry header off a corner over the bar to keep the scoresheet clean.

As predicted in the weather forecast, the wind picked up in the second half, forcing much of the action into Whitman's half. Jones, inserted at halftime, dealt with the elements well in net as the Blues began to test Whitworth keeper Joshua Hill. Whitman finally broke through with the game's lone goal and held on for the win.

#GoWhitman

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