EUGENE, Ore. –
Brady Housley stole an errant defensive pass with 45 seconds to play and lifted Bushnell to a 2-1 victory over Rocky Mountain College in their season finale on Sunday.
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With the win, Bushnell moved to 8-7-3 on the season, producing their first winning campaign in school history and matching a school-record with their eighth victory. It was the highest win total in seven years, since the Beacons produced 8-8-2 seasons in both 2016 and 2017.
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Head Coach
Joao Ehlers said, "Our boys had a great performance tonight. We played with a lot of energy and we were able to score in crucial moments of the game. This result gives us confidence to work hard in the off season and continue building on what we have done so far."
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The Beacons had established an early lead that set the tone for the defensive battle to come, going ahead 1-0 in the ninth minute on a free kick from
Ian Palma. Taking the shot from straight on and just beyond the 18-yard box, Palma placed a beauty of a kick into the top right corner of the goal.
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Bushnell held onto their lead throughout the first half and for the first 19 minutes of the second half before Rocky Mountain pulled off the tying strike in the 64th minute.
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A frantic finish followed with each team creating numerous chances. On a night where the Beacons celebrated their seniors, it was a freshman that produced one of the most memorable goals in school history. With the ball deep the back, Housley continued to apply pressure and as a RMC defender misplayed a clearance, he was there to intercept before driving into the box and beating the keeper one-on-one.
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Bushnell finished with a 14-11 advantage in shots and a 5-3 margin in shots-on-goal.
Agustin Morales picked up his second victory between the pipe in as many games, making two saves.
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Rocky ended their regular season with a record of 8-6-2, including a 7-4-2 mark in CCC action, giving them sixth-place. The Bears were just three points shy of finishing third in the standings.
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Sunday was the final game for seniors
Kaleb Sabino,
Eric Ponce,
Zander Harer,
Oliver Bartel, and
Corbin Robinson. "This senior class has really raised the bar on and off the field," said Ehlers. "They helped us a lot with the integration of the new guys and they will be deeply missed."
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