McMINNVILLE, Ore. – The Linfield men's soccer team picked up one win during its non-conference schedule. Now, the Wildcats look to pull off a couple upsets as they open conference play at Whitman on Saturday and Whitworth on Sunday.
THE RECORDS
Linfield enters the week with a 1-3-0 record while Whitman is undefeated at 4-0-0 and Whitworth sits at 1-2-1. The 'Cats were picked sixth in the Northwest Conference Preseason Coaches Poll with 19 points. The Blues tied for second in the poll with 39 points and one first-place vote while the Pirates were picked fourth with 33 points and one first-place vote.
LINFIELD AT A GLANCE
The 'Cats are averaging one goal and eight shots per game to go with a 3.00 goals against average. The lone win was a 3-1 home victory over Evergreen State on Sept. 6.
Junior forward
Cesar Cruz-Espindola is the team's leading scorer with two goals. The other two goal scorers are junior midfielder
Romario Mendoza and freshman midfielder
Seamus Miller. Mendoza and fellow junior midfielder
Harrison Davis also have one assist apiece on the season.
The 'Cats have been rotating goalkeepers during non-conference play. Junior
Julian Inches and sophomore
Peyton Frazier each have 135 minutes of service this fall. Inches is 0-1-0 in goal with 11 saves and a 2.67 goals against average while Frazier is 1-1-0 with eight saves and a 2.00 goals against average.
WHITMAN AT A GLANCE
Whitman enters the week ranked No. 25 in the latest United Soccer Coaches national rankings, released Tuesday. The Blues are averaging three goals and 19.3 shots per game to go with a 1.00 goals against average.
Senior forward Oscar Harding, senior midfielder Jacob Barsher, freshman forward Noa Taylor and freshman midfielder Mark Bamusiima-Muwanguzi have all scored two goals this fall. Harding also leads the Blues with three assists and is tied for second on the team with Barsher with 10 shots.
The Whitman goalkeepers have made a combined five saves in the Blues' four matches. Freshman Colby Ramsey is 2-0-0 in goal with three saves and a 2.00 goals against average while sophomore Bernie Jones is 1-0-0 with one save and a 0.00 goals against average in two starts.
WHITWORTH AT A GLANCE
Whitworth's only win this fall was a 4-0 shutout at home against Lawrence. The Pirates are averaging 1.75 goals and 13.5 shots per game.
Freshman midfielder Beckett Arthur is leading the Pirates offensively with two goals while sophomore forward Dominic Gusman leads the team with two assists to go with one goal. Gusman also leads the Pirates with nine shots and four shots on goal.
Junior Bo Broyles is 1-2-1 in goal in four starts. He has 19 saves on the season with a 2.15 goals against average.
HISTORY
Linfield and Whitman have met 48 times with the Wildcats leading the series 24-22-2. The 'Cats own a 13-11-1 record in Walla Walla, but the Blues have won the last six meetings between the two squads, most recently beating the 'Cats 5-0 and 2-1 in 2019.
Linfield and Whitworth have played each other 50 times with the Pirates dominating the series with a 30-12-8 record. The 'Cats are 5-16-5 in Spokane but have won the teams' last four meetings. The 'Cats swept the Pirates in 2019, winning by scores of 2-1 and 1-0.
