SALEM, Ore. – Linfield earned a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Willamette on Sunday at Sparks Field in Salem in a tightly contested Northwest Conference match.
The Wildcats took an early lead in the 28th minute when
E.J. Sablan converted a penalty kick, putting Linfield ahead 1-0. After Willamette's Rory McKee equalized in the 42nd minute, Linfield responded quickly. Just 19 seconds later,
Oli Gaines found the net off an assist from
Cameron Gaines, giving the Wildcats a 2-1 lead at the half.
Despite Linfield's strong start, Willamette controlled much of the second half, outshooting Linfield 20-4. The Bearcats tied the match at 2-2 in the 56th minute on a goal by Owen Albrecht, assisted by Tiago Palhetas.
Linfield goalkeeper
Jacob Toves played all 90 minutes, making seven saves to keep the Wildcats level as Willamette kept the pressure on.
Aside from scoring Linfield's two goals, Sablan and Gaines combined for three shots.
Cameron Gaines added two shots of his own while
Sam Haynes,
Radule Bozovic,
Johann Singh Sanchez and
Tate Bliss each recorded one shot.
Sean Kim led the Bearcats in shots with 8, applying constant pressure throughout the match. Willamette goalkeeper Ryan Doyle finished the match with three saves, playing the entirety of the match.
NEXT
Linfield continues NWC play in a matchup with Pacific Lutheran on Saturday at noon at the Linfield Soccer Complex.
