September 30, 2006

BOX SCORE - EASTERN OREGON 2, CORBAN 1

Senior Kathleen Studenny (pictured right) executed one of her patented free kick to set up the Warriors' lone goal today versus the Mountaineers of Eastern Oregon. (Photo courtesy of Matt Heyne)

SALEM, Ore. -  For the second straight day, an unlucky bounce caused the game-winning goal, as Corban's women's soccer fell to the Mountaineers of Eastern Oregon, 2-1, for the first-time ever on Saturday in its final home game of the regular season.

Eastern Oregon got on the scoreboard first in the 18th minute when Lori Wilson teamed with Tennly Paul-Bowden and Cassie Smith. Smith began the play by throwing the ball into Paul-Bowden, who proceeded to cut towards the goal along the end line before lofting a pass across the mouth of the goal to the awaiting Wilson. With no defender around her, Wilson knocked the ball into the back of the net for the opening score.

Less than four minutes later, Eastern Oregon was the receipent of a lucky bounce that hurt the Warriors for the second straight day. Senior goalkeeper Kim Mendenhall (Windsor, Calif.) came off her line and attempted to clear the ball away from the goal, but ricochetted it off of the Mountaineers' Kristen Rice and into the back of the net. Twenty-four hours earlier, Mendenhall was on the unfortunate end of another unlucky bounce that ended up costing the Warriors another game.

Trailing 2-0, freshman Cassie Ribeiro (San Bernardino, Calif.) teamed with senior defender Kathleen Studenny (Gresham, Ore.) for her first collegiate goal in the 26th minute. Studenny began the play by lofting a free kick from just outside the penalty box towards the Eastern Oregon goal. After the ball cleared everyone that was attempting to head the ball, Ribeiro ran onto a bouncing ball and popped it into the back of the net just over the out-stretched arm of the Mountaineers' starting keeper.

The second half was very evenly played, but neither team could crack the mouth of the goal. Corban dropped its fifth straight game, while Eastern Oregon picked up its first-ever victory in eight games over the Warriors.

Mendenhall ended the game with a game-high 7 saves, while Eastern Oregon's starting keeper Kristina Kennedy played the first 73 minutes (making 3 saves) before leaving the game with an injury. EOU's Molly Sumpter finished out the game in between the pipes and made 2 saves to secure the win.

Corban now finds themselves at 3-10-0 overall, 1-3-0 in Cascade Collegiate Conference play. Meanwhile, Eastern Oregon improves to 7-3-0 overall, 5-1-0 in CCC action. The Warriors return to action on Friday, October 6th, when they travel north to Olympia, Washington, for a match-up with The Evergreen State College beginning at 3:00 p.m. on Geoduck Field.