BOX SCORE
SALEM, Ore. – Freshman
Tera McDonough (Boise, Idaho) scored the game's only goal as Corban's women's soccer team held on to defeat Southern Oregon, 1-0, Saturday on Warrior Field to advance to the Cascade Collegiate Conference Tournament Finals.
After being awarded a home playoff match following the conclusion of the CCC regular season, Corban felt the full force of a Raider team looking to avenge an overtime loss earlier in the regular season.
In the early going, Southern Oregon was awarded four corner kicks over a minute and a half span. However, a stiff Corban defense responded to the challenge, turning away attempt after attempt to keep the game even at a scoreless tie.
The Warriors almost found the back of the net in the 28th and 29th minutes of play when freshman
Rileigh Mankin (Manteca, Calif.) and senior
Katie Hanson (Salem, Ore.) both registered shots on the Raider net. SOU keeper Jessica Kuehlwein matched the duo of Warriors and saved both opportunities.
Corban was able to control the ball towards the end of the first half, seeing senior
Genessa Neeser (Pocatello, Idaho) and freshman
Audrey Sullivan (Puyallup, Wash.) rattle off attempts, only to be denied again by a busy Kuehlwein.
The Warriors finally broke through after the halftime whistle when McDonough took Sullivan's angled pass in stride, one-timing the ball homeward into the net from 8 yards out to give Corban the 1-0 advantage in the 48th minute.
Protecting the lead, Corban's back line tightened up and only allowed five shots by the Raiders in the second half of play. Freshman Warrior keeper
Alexis Beattie (Brea, Calif.) only had to make one save during the duration of the game while playing the full 90 minutes between the pipes.
With the victory, Corban improves to 16-3-0 overall, including their 7-2-0 record in Cascade Collegiate Conference regular season play. Southern Oregon falls to 12-5-2 overall with a 6-2-1 CCC regular season record. The Warriors move on to the CCC Tournament Finals, where Corban will face the NAIA's nationally top-ranked Concordia in a game for the postseason crown. The Warriors and Cavaliers will square off in Portland next Saturday, November 13th, at a time yet to be determined.