PORTLAND, Ore. – Despite holding a two-goal advantage late in the second half, the Corban University Men's Soccer team accepted their second-straight draw result on the road, this time against the Multnomah Lions as the Warriors allowed two late goals to salvage a point in the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) standings as the end of the regular season draws near.
"Our group started both halves really well," Corban head coach Josh Rios Noonkester deducted. "We are creating great scoring opportunities and need to take advantage of them moving forward. Collectively, we could have managed the second half better, and we'll have to learn from it. We understand the opportunity we have tomorrow and will come out with the right energy from the start. Thank you to all our traveling supporters!"
With the Lions (5-5-2, 3-3-2) representing one of the top eight teams in CCC play thus far and knocking off their crosstown rival just last weekend, offensive opportunities would need to be taken advantage of in a must-win game for either team on the pitch tonight. Needing a pair of favorable results this weekend to minimize the stress on the Warriors' (4-6-3, 3-2-3) homestand to conclude the 2024 regular season, Corban men's soccer hopped on the scoreboard first as the opening half was about to wrap up.
Following a corner kick try by senior midfielder Grady Thurman that was cleared by Multnomah's defense, senior midfielder Diego Gonzalez-Ruiz crossed the ball back into penalty box where freshman forward Alexander Guindy was waiting for the misdirection header that went through the arms of Lions' goalkeeper Pablo Mendoza to provide Corban with a 1-0 lead in the 42nd minute and eventually, represented the halftime score.
It only took two minutes and twenty seconds into the second half for the Navy and Gold to double their lead thanks to junior midfielder Santiago Castano, who collected a failed clear by a Lion defender and took two dribbles before launching a shot into the back of the net, an attempt that Mendoza didn't even consider saving with how perfectly placed Castano's shot landed out of his reach.
Determined not to be shutout on their home field and possibly mount a comeback win, Multnomah cut their deficit in half on a goal by forward Paul Einero, who was assisted by midfielder Isael Lopez on a breakaway opportunity that Warriors' redshirt junior goalkeeper Isaac Pureco misread, coming out of the box a hair too early for the open netter.
With time on the scoreboard fleeting, Multnomah continued to pepper the Warrior penalty box with cross attempts praying they would find paydirt, which Einero was eventually able to punch through in the 86th minute to deny Corban the road victory. The Lions would have an opportunity to complete their unprecedented revival on a penalty kick try in the 87th minute, but Pureco denied them their comeback of the year candidacy with his eighth save of the day to wrap up his third draw result of the year. Mendoza would finish with three saves in a complete game effort.
Corban freshman forward Zachary Milczarek led the program in offensive opportunities today with three shots, two resulting in saves by Mendoza. Quantity proved to be the game-winning factor for Einero who clutched up for his team late in today's contest, as he registered a game-best five shots with four coming on goal and two of those finding the back of the net.
A matchup with Warner Pacific University (8-5-0, 4-4-0) tomorrow afternoon will represent the Warriors' final road matchup this regular season before they return home for a two-week homestand.
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