MONMOUTH, Ore. – With just two home games on the schedule this spring, the Western Oregon University soccer team didn't waste any time coming out ready to play in the first home game of the year. Just over a minute in, WOU was on the board and before halftime had three in the net. Saint Martin's rallied late in the second half to make things interesting before the Wolves took the 3-2 win Thursday in what was a near downpour over the first half and still had some rain showers in the second half.
Fired up from the start, the Wolves (1-1) were flying in the opening minutes and it showed in the possession time and shots. In just the second minute, Alyssa Tomasini was able to take the ball from the middle of the field and broke free down the left side knocking the shot past the goalie into the lower right corner to give WOU the early 1-0 lead.
Following a few strong chances, the Wolves found their way on the scoreboard again before 10 minutes had even gone by. Off a foul, Camille Darland came in to take the free kick and was able to bury the shot from out near midfield with a perfectly angled kick to move WOU out to the 2-0 lead in the eighth minute.
WOU kept the pressure coming and nearly scored again when Tomasini ringed a shot off the crossbar. Towards the end of the half, the Wolves found their third goal when Piper Matson navigated through the middle of the field and hit a shot just past the outreached hands of the goalie for the 3-0 lead in the 42nd minute.
The Wolves controlled play over the first 45 minutes tallying nine shots to just one for Saint Martin's (0-3). WOU also had the only two corner kicks in the half.
In the second half, the teams battled to gain control with no real shots on goal through the first 15-20 minutes.
The Saints started to make more of a push with around 15 minutes to play and Kiersten Madsen was able to collect the loose ball and tally a goal up in the top corner of the net in the 76th minute to trim the WOU lead to 3-1.
Saint Martin's kept coming, as a few shots were saved by Emily Wheeler before a foul was called in the box setting up a penalty kick. Madsen lined up for that try as well and buried the kick to leave WOU with a 3-2 lead with eight minutes to play.
The flurry continued over the next few minutes with Wheeler coming up with a few more saves and the Saints had one last try that just rolled wide as time expired to give WOU the exciting 3-2 win.
For the game, WOU held a 12-8 edge on shots and 5-4 on goal. WOU tallied five corner kicks to two for the Saints and the teams combined for 27 fouls with 16 whistled on WOU.
Tomasini, Darland and Matson led the way for the offense with each tallying a goal. Tomasini took three total shots, with two on goal. Darland had two shots, with one on goal and Matson had one shot that went on goal. Hannah Cabral and Chloe Smith each added two shots.
In goal, Morgan Mihelich made her debut for the Wolves and started going the first 45 minutes to pickup the win (1-0). She faced one shot, but not on goal. Wheeler then played the second half and the final 45 minutes, coming away with five saves on seven shots faced.
WOU will turn right back around and face Saint Martin's next Thursday, March 25 up in Lacey with game time set for 3 p.m.
