TACOMA, Wash. – It was the seventh shutout of the season
for the Univerity of Puget Sound men's soccer team, but this
one was just a little bit sweeter. The shutout gave the Loggers
(7-3-5, 4-2-3) a 1-0 win over Whitworth and it gave head coach
Reece Olney his 200th victory as a head coach at Puget Sound.
The victory was a long time coming as the Loggers were coming
off a loss and a tie and haven't tasted victory since Oct. 3.
The game-winner came in the 81st minute off the foot of Vince
McCluskey.
"The difference is the mentality that we are
displaying," said Olney. "We understand that conference
games aren't going to be easy. We're starting to
embrace that – that its going to be a grind – but that
we can be the team that comes out on top in those 1-0
games."
After 80 hard fought minutes, the intensity continued to grow as
it had all game. Greg Wenger started the play by crossing the ball
into the box. Kyle Benson made an equally precise one-touch pass to
McCluskey on the far post, who tapped it past the goalie for the
match's only goal and a 1-0 Logger victory.
Chris McDonald made two saves to hold the Pirates scoreless and
the defense limited the Pirates to just eight shots. However, the
Loggers took just six shots with three finding their way on
goal.
Kyle Novak was solid in goal for the Pirates with a pair of
saves, including a highlight reel save of a Benson header that
seemed destined for the back of the net.
Olney's 200th victory comes in his 17th season with the
Loggers after years of success. He has guided the Loggers to
winning seasons in 13 of his previous 16 years.
"I feel blessed to have been a part of this university in
my 17th year now and I feel that we've done some good things
to help the young men that have come through the program,"
commented Olney. "Two hundred wins just means that I've
been here awhile," Olney said with a grin. "But I think
its much more significant that this group won an important
Northwest Conference game and continues to be a factor in the NWC
race."
The Loggers will start a four-match road trip next week when
they visit Willamette at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.
