Bruins’ Conference Opener Leaves Pioneers Scoreless

    <Newberg, Ore.> The George Fox University Bruins women’s soccer team defeated Lewis & Clark Pioneers on Sept. 15, propelling them to a 3-2 record. The 4-0 victory took place under the lights at George Fox’s Austin Sports Complex.

    Though the Bruins have played four games this season, Wednesday’s match was their first within the Northwest Conference (NWC). The win starts off the team’s conference record at 1-0.

    “I think the win against Lewis and Clark was a huge thing,” said freshman Carly Garberding. “Not only was it our first conference game and we came out with a win, but we went into the week and that game with amazing energy and we just played soccer and enjoyed it.”

    That energy was apparent, both on the field and in the stands—excitement building with every goal. The spectators were hushed at the beginning of the game, but as the Bruins’ score increased, so did the volume. 

    Among that volume were voices of dissent. A string of audible collisions between players prompted one Pioneers fan to refer to the game as a “mosh pit”—an observation backed up by the foul count, which reached a season-high 13 for the Bruins and 15 for the Pioneers. 

    However, the home team advantage reigned in the stands, as students packed together to cheer on their classmates. The tension that built as the Bruins approached the goal was released in groans and sighs at every stop, as well as cheers when a play finally paid off.

    Junior Maggie Phillips, a transfer student from the University of Oregon, scored two of the Bruin’s four goals. Phillips scored in the 40th minute off a free kick, and again in the 54th minute off an assist by Madison Burch.

    Sophomore Willa Evans and Junior Maggie Choate scored one each. Evans kicked off the Bruins’ scoring with a goal in the 28th minute, assisted by Taylor Ho and Amy Hatter. Choate’s goal came less than two minutes after Phillips’ second, in the 55th minute.

    The Bruins traveled to play the Pacific Boxers last Saturday, continuing their perfect conference record with a 1-0 win. The next home game will be held this Saturday at noon when the team faces the University of Puget Sound.

NOTE: This article was submitted to my journalism class on September 24, but not published here until November 4.