MCMINNVILLE, Ore. --- Linfield men's soccer (1-10-3, 1-6-3 NWC) fought back from a one-goal deficit in the second half behind
Caleb Ishizaka's first career score to earn a 1-1 draw with the Pacific Boxers (2-6-5, 2-4-4 NWC).
Both squads took the opening 30-minutes to find their rhythm, with just one shot in the first third of the match. Linfield's back line of
Aedan Carroll,
Charlie Strong, and
Anderson Kelly kept Pacific's forwards quiet, while goalkeeper
Colby Reese made an early save in the 40th minute to deny Pacific and preserve the scoreless tie at halftime. Linfield managed two first-half shots, with
Ross Vargo forcing the Pacific keeper into a save in the 18th minute.
The match opened up after the break. Pacific struck first in the 62nd minute, giving the Boxers a 1-0 lead. The goal came after Reese had turned away back-to-back shots earlier in the half, keeping Linfield within reach
Linfield continued to push forward, and their persistence paid off in the 73rd minute. Freshman
Caleb Ishizaka netted his first goal of his career to tie the match at 1-1, finishing a free kick that was earned due to a Boxer handball just inches outside of the box. Ishizaka's kick bent around the Pacific wall of defenders, sneaking inside the left post.
Reese stood tall in goal, making two more saves in the closing stages, including one in the 83rd minute to turn away a shot from the Boxers. Linfield gathered momentum in the closing minutes, but were unable to score after Jamis Gonzales' shot in the final minute was kept out by the post.
Linfield finished with five total shots, three on target, while Pacific recorded 11 shots and four on goal. Reese collected three saves in his 90 minutes in net. Yanez received Linfield's lone yellow card in the 53rd minute, while Pacific picked up two bookings in the closing minutes.
Linfield gets a weekend of rest after a stretch of eight matches over 18 days, returning to the pitch next Saturday and Sunday against Whitman and Whitworth on the road.
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