WALLA WALLA, Wash. - The Whitman College men's soccer team opened its Northwest Conference season in style Saturday afternoon, claiming a 2-0 home victory over Pacific University in a physical but composed performance that saw the Blues dictate possession for much of the match.
Whitman carried the bulk of the possession in the opening 45 minutes, moving the ball crisply through midfield and probing Pacific's back line. The Boxers absorbed pressure well, though, and goalkeeper Kobi Miyamoto denied several threatening crosses and shots. Despite Whitman's territorial advantage, the teams went into halftime scoreless, with both defenses staying organized and decisive.
The breakthrough came just over 10 minutes after the restart. In the 56th minute, Kevin Serrano found space near the top of the box after a patient Whitman buildup. He controlled a pass with his first touch and drilled a clean finish past Miyamoto to give the Blues a 1-0 lead and bring the home crowd to life.
Whitman nearly doubled its advantage a few minutes later, testing the Boxer defense with two quick shots off a corner, but Pacific scrambled to clear. The Boxers answered with their best spell of the match midway through the half. Around the 70th minute, Pacific pressured forward aggressively, forcing goalkeeper Niclas Isensee into back-to-back saves as he smothered a low shot inside the near post and then punched away a dangerous header.
That surge from Pacific seemed to awaken Whitman again, and the Blues delivered the decisive blow in the 80th minute. William Miranda-Ortiz capped off a flowing counterattack by slipping through the defense and slotting home a composed finish, extending the lead to 2-0.Â
From there, Whitman controlled the tempo and managed the final minutes efficiently.
Isensee held firm in goal to secure the clean sheet, making several sharp saves, while Miyamoto kept the score respectable with a strong individual showing in defeat.
When the final whistle blew, Whitman had its first conference win of the season, earned through patience, possession, and timely finishing. Serrano and Miranda-Ortiz provided the goals, while Isensee's shutout performance anchored a Blues back line that stayed resilient when tested.
Whitman closes out the weekend with a Sunday NWC kickoff against Willamette at 2:45 p.m.
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