Box Score

EUGENE, Ore. – The Northwest Christian University men's soccer program remains winless in season opening games after dropping a home game 5-0 on Thursday evening to Goshen College out of Indiana.

Head Coach Chris Bolton said, “Goshen is a very good, well established program. They have been around for 50 years, we've been here for four and you could see the difference. I am very confident in our group, though, and we will continue to get better.”

The Maple Leafs first got onto the scoreboard in the 23rd minute when Juan DeLeon took a pass from Nick Good on a breakaway and slotted the ball just under freshman Nick Kratzke in goal. Kratzke got the season-opening start in his first collegiate game due to an injury to veteran keeper Cuyler Ziegler.

Dan Wilkinson gave the Leafs a 2-0 lead just one minute later. Alain Chaponniere crossed the ball into the box where it was headed by DeLeon. The ball went straight to Wilkinson who also headed the ball past the misplaced goalie.

Goshen scored again ten minutes into the second half when Dan Martin took a cross from Good and scored a five-yard strike. Good got on the board himself in the 61st minute off of a dual assist from Wilkinson and DeLeon. The Leafs then closed out the scoring in the 78th minute when Chaponniere woke up with a tap in after a corner kick bounced around the box after an initial save by back-up keeper Stephen Melgar.

The Beacons were outshot 26-4 in the game, getting two shots apiece from senior Greg Erickson and freshman Kyle Ottwell. Melgar finished the game with five saves and Kratzke picked up four.

Coach Bolton also saw a few other bright spots in this early season-opening contest. “Kenny Sale was a beast for us tonight in the back. He really kept us together. Chris Longi and Alex Crossingham also did a very solid job in the midfield. Overall, I was very pleased with our efforts tonight in getting back to lost balls. We only got beat on the counter attack one time.”

The Beacons will now be off until September 1st when they travel to face Pacific University in Forest Grove. They also have a home scrimmage scheduled on August 29th against Willamette University. That game is scheduled for a 7:00 pm kick-off.