MCMINNVILLE, Ore. – Holding the Warner Pacific Knights scoreless for the first 44 minutes, the Linfield Wildcats allowed a goal with just twenty seconds left in the half to fall 4-1 on Friday night.
With the win on Friday night, Warner Pacific moves to 3-1 on the season, all against Northwest Conference teams. Linfield falls to 1-3 on the season and 1-2 against Cascade Collegiate Conference teams.
The ball was played mostly in the middle of the field as neither team registered a shot in the first 13 minutes of the game.
Luke Marks had the first two scoring opportunities for the Wildcats. A header attempt that was saved by the Knights' goalie Juan De Dios Inzunza and another header that was just high.
The Knights had three great opportunities early on. One on a long pass from midfield, but the shot was a foot too wide, another one just went high with goalie
Nick Van Kleek out of the box, and a free kick hitting the crossbar.
On a free kick by the Knights with twenty seconds left in the half, the Wildcats failed to clear out the ball and it ended up in the back of the net. The goal was scored by the Knights' Omar Alcazar.
The Knights grabbed their second goal quickly in the second half on a header by Elias Soto.
After being in the game for just seven minutes,
Owen Clayton kicked in a deflected corner kick for his first career goal and pulled the Wildcats within one.
Warner Pacific responded quickly to the Linfield goal, adding another one just three minutes apart. This time it was by Kingsley Armah.
The Knights added a goal late in the game to go on to win this one 4-1.
The two teams are now tied at three in the all-time series, this was the first regular season meeting between the two squads since 2009.
The four goals allowed were most for Linfield this season and most scored by Warner Pacific.
The Knights outshot the Wildcats 17-13 and had more corners 5-3.
Van Kleek made five saves in the game, which tied his season high.
Connor Heintz had five shots in the game, but just one on goal.
UP NEXT
Linfield takes on Walla Walla in the final non-conference game of the season at home on Sunday at 12 p.m.
