Lewis & Clark College

PORTLAND, Ore.—Lewis & Clark College men's soccer earned their first home victory since the program returned to varsity status in 2022, with a dominant 2-0 victory over Whitworth University. 
 
THE BASICS 
 
Lewis & Clark 2, Whitworth 0
(Lewis & Clark 2-12-1, Northwest Conference 2-9-1) 
(Whitworth 4-8-2, NWC 2-6-2) 

COACHES CORNER
 
"To earn our first home win on Homecoming weekend and celebrate with the families who have been alongside us since the program was reinstated made this a special day," head coach Fraser Morrison said. 
 
"This group has worked so hard for this moment, and I'm grateful we could share it with our supported, including Avery and his family."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
Juniors Eli Kraft and Sam London each scored against the Pirates for the second time this season and senior goalies Keahi Meredith and Micaiah Garan combined for the shutout. 

The win marked the program's first win at Griswold Stadium since September 30, 1989 when men's soccer defeated Northwest Nazarene 4-3. 
 
Kraft gave Lewis & Clark a lead just 9:57 into the contest. Junior center back Talen Haywood floated a ball into the box from near midfield and Kraft rose up and headed it just underneath the bar from 10-yards out. 
 
Whitworth would post a 4-3 shot advantage through the first 45 minutes but would do little to trouble Meredith. The senior, who was making his second start of the year and first start at home, posted three saves in the first half. 
 
Lewis & Clark doubled their lead just 2:30 into the second half. The Pirates tried to clear the ball across the top of their own 18-yard box. London knocked down the Whitworth pass with his left foot, pushed the ball from out from under his feet and away from a defender with his left and then sent a right-footed shot across the goal mouth and just past the sprawling goalie and inside the post from outside the box for a 2-0 advantage. 
 
The River Otters defense would take over from there. Lewis & Clark outshot the visitors 8-1 in the second half and never let the Pirates generate enough pressure to bother Garan. 
 
Lewis & Clark's defense of senior Emmett Olson, juniors Sam Gunderson and Haywood and sophomore Ren Fukuoka helped hold Whitworth without a shot for the final 14:15. The quartet combined to play 331 of 360 minute on the back line and junior Ali Alfstad and senior Zidane Indarta held down the other 29 minutes. 
 
Kraft nearly made it 3-0 in the 87^th minute but his right-footed shot caught the post square and ricocheted away from goal. 
 
As the final second ticked off, Lewis & Clark raced towards their goal box to celebrate the win in front of a raucous home crowd on Homecoming Weekend. 

BY THE NUMBERS 

• With the win, Lewis & Clark earned their second win of the season and earned their first-ever season sweep of a conference opponent. The River Otters defeated the Pirates 2-0 in Spokane with Kraft and London also scoring in that win. 
• Men's Soccer outshot Whitworth 11-5 and held a 5-3 advantage in shots on goal. The River Otters also posted a 3-1 edge in corner kicks. 
• Meredith earned his first collegiate victory in the win. 
• The two teams combined for eight yellow cards in the contest with five of them being issued in the 70^thminute. Whitworth ended the game with a 12-9 lead in total fouls. 
• London is now tied for second in program history with five career goals scored. The junior has scored a career-high three goals this season. 
• Sophomore Raff Ladd, Olson, Haywood and Fukuoka all played the full 90 minutes in the win. 
• Lewis & Clark walked out for the starting lineup with their Team Impact teammate Avery.  

WHO'S NEXT 
 
Lewis & Clark will cap off their three-game homestand next Sunday, when they host Linfield University at Noon.