George Fox 1, Warner Pacific 0:

Bruins notch win over Knights in ’06 Season Opener.

M Dan Potter Photo courtesy: George Fox University

NEWBERG - Freshman Dylan Durell came off the bench in the second half to score the only goal of the game, giving the George Fox University Bruins a 1-0 win over the Warner Pacific College Knights in the 2006 men’s soccer season opener for both teams Saturday afternoon here at Morse Field.

Despite a blistering afternoon heat wave, neither team could get its offense warmed up in the first half as the teams battled to a 0-0 standoff. George Fox got off five shots, only one on goal, while Warner Pacific was held to only three shots, and Bruin starting keeper Kyle Putnam went untested as none were on goal.

The Bruins cranked out nine shots, seven on goal, in the second half, and finally broke through at the 58:26 mark. Bruin forward Garrett Blizzard caught a cross from the left side at the top of the box and dribbled toward the right corner of the field with a man on him. He then flicked the ball backward to a trailing Durrell, who faked one defender to the left, took a dribble to the right, and drilled a shot to the middle of the net past Warner keeper Brandon Mitalis for his first college goal.

The George Fox defense then tightened down to hang on for the victory, allowing only five second-half shots, three on goal. All three were stopped by new keeper Jake Maguire, who got the win.

George Fox (1-0) hosts Walla Walla College Monday at 4:30 PM, and Warner Pacific (0-1) goes to Willamette University Wednesday at 7:00 PM, in a pair of non-conference contests.

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