Geoducks play in first playoff match since 2005, but fall in Cascade Conference Final to Concordia
The Men’s Soccer team’s season came to an end in the Cascade Conference Finals this past Saturday against Concordia in Portland. Concordia, the only team to beat Evergreen in conference play this season, won 2-1 in a match marred by several red cards. Two Concordia players were ejected from the match, one for a rough foul and one for a fight in which Evergreen goal keeper Mauricio Sanchez was also carded. After the third card, on a Concordia player for his hit on Collin Harlow, Evergreen took advantage of their 11-10 matchup when Ben Joselyn converted passes from Kyle Wiese and Kevin Flavin to narrow the score to 2-1 in the 88th minute.
Unfortunately, there was not enough time left in the match to gain an equalizer and Concordia advanced to the NAIA National Tournament.
Though the loss was tough on Evergreen, having lost their only other 2 matches to Concordia, the team clearly exceeded preseason expectations from outside the program. Heading into the season, out of the seven teams that make up the Cascade Conference, the Geoducks were predicted to finish fifth overall. The team stormed through the regular season, outscoring their opponents by 20 goals during the season on their way to a 12-2 record.
A major highlight for the team was their five consecutive shutouts during the final five games of the regular season when they won those games by an average of almost two goals.
The final win came in their first playoff game against Warner Pacific, after a tight first half where the score was tied 1-1 thanks to Willie Spurr’s goal, the Geoducks broke the game open with a fantastic second half. At the 59th minute mark Kevin Flavin dribbled around a defender to score what turned out to be the winning goal. Seven minutes later Spurr added his second goal of the match, dribbling around the keeper to score on an open net. And finally in the 79th minute Kyle Wiese gathered a loose ball after a collision between the keeper and a defender to put one more in to push the final score to a 4-1 rout.
Though the season is now over, the Geoducks can hold their heads high and know that no team surprised more people this season than them.
By David Lukashok
