ARCATA – Junior forward Arielle Kern scored two second-half goals as the Humboldt State University women's soccer team defeated the Western Oregon University Wolves, 3-1, in the opener for both teams in Redwood Bowl on Friday.
The win is the first at HSU for new head coach Christian Johnson and the 100th of his career.
The two teams played to a, 0-0, tie at the half, with the Jacks controlling play and out-shooting Western Oregon, 5-1.
“Possession-wise we played very well,” Johnson said. “However, there were times when we got away from that and started playing a lot of direct long balls. That was when we allowed them to play with us.”
The Wolves came out in the second half, played aggressively and with just three minutes gone, Jordann Gilmer got behind the HSU defense and scored the match's first goal.
“The first 10 minutes of the second half we had a lapse in what we have been working on for the last few weeks,” Johnson said. “That led to some mismarking opportunities and for that ball to be slotted through which led to their first goal. But that was a wake-up call and we responded.”
The score remained, 1-0, into the 67th minute. The Jacks got the equalizer, when senior defender Megan Kobler hit a perfect cross that Kern headed past the Wolves' keeper to tie the match.
From that point on the Lumberjacks controlled the the match. In the 84th minute Kern got free in the box, and after a centering pass from junior Kim Carroll, she lobbed a shot just over the outstretched hand of the Western Oregon goalie for the eventual game winner.
“We worked really hard and got the result,” Kern said. “Coming out here and getting the first win under our belt is really important. It sets the tone for the whole season and to score two goals is extra special. Tomorrow is my 21st birthday so the goals and the win are a great present as well.”
Just 30 seconds later Carroll set up senior co-captian Katie Forba on another beautiful crossing pass that Forba blasted into the empty net.
With the win the Jacks are 1-0-0 of the season while Western Oregon falls to 0-1-0. Humboldt State now heads out on the road for its next three matches. On Thursday they are at defending national champion Seattle Pacific, followed by a Saturday, Sept. 5 match at Western Washington and then finishing the trip on Monday, Sept. 7 at Saint Martin's.
Western Oregon (0-1-0) vs. Humboldt State (1-0-0)
Date: Aug 28, 2009 Attendance: 213
Weather: cloudy
Goals by period 1 2 Tot
-------------------------------
Western Oregon...... 0 1 - 1
Humboldt State...... 0 3 - 3
SCORING SUMMARY:
1. 48:05 WOU Gilmer, Jordann (1) (Slezak, Sam)
2. 66:14 HSU KERN, Arielle (1) (KOBLER, Megan) - Kobler crossed the ball and headed in by Kern
3. 83:27 HSU KERN, Arielle (2) (CARROLL, Kim;NAKAMOTO, Sarah) - Nakamoto to Carroll centered to Kern who lobbed it over the keeper
4. 84:00 HSU FORBA, Katie (CARROLL, Kim) - Carrol crossed to Forba who shot it into the empty net
Shots: Western Oregon 5, Humboldt State 15
Saves: Western Oregon 6 (Rigtrup, Brittney 6), Humboldt State 2
(SANDBERG, Kelly 2)
Coach Johnson's 100 career win
