WALLA WALLA, Wash. -
Jacob Burrill scored two goals, his second multi-goal performance in the span of a week, to guide the Whitman College men's soccer team to a 3-2 Northwest Conference opening win over Pacific on Saturday at James Hayner Field.
After both teams felt each other out in the first 10 minutes, the Blues (4-1, 1-0 NWC) began to assert themselves leading to the game's opening goal in the 16th minute. Zachary Stonier played a ball to an open Eric Gantt on the left flank who collected it and served a lovely ball to the head of a streaking Burrill just outside the goal box. Burrill guided the service into the back of the net to put the Blues early.
Burrill struck again not long after. This time it was from the right flank courtesy of Sawyer Valero who served a brilliant ball of his own which again found Burrill in the penalty area. In similar fashion, he found the back of the net for his second goal of the half.
A two-goal lead may be the most tenuous in soccer and the Blues found that out when Donavan Jaramillo ripped a shot past Niclas Isensee to slice the lead in half. Lucas McAllister wasted little time in re-establishing Whitman's two-goal lead when he found the back of the net in the 64th minute.
Meanwhile, the goal scoring opportunities on both ends picked up. Isensee was called into action for the first time and turned away a pair of point-blank Boxer shots. Zach Aderinto did the same on Pacific's end to keep Pacific in the match.
Late in the game, the Boxers (4-3, 2-1 NWC) drew a foul in the penalty box and Adam Landy converted the spot kick to make it a 3-2 score. The Boxers threatened in the final moments but the equalizer never came.
Conference-opening weekend continues on Sunday as the Blues host George Fox at 12:00 p.m.
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