Box Score
MORAGA, Calif. --- Thomas Iwasaki and Ryan Kawulok each scored during the second half as the Portland Pilots came from behind to defeat the Saint Mary’s Gaels 3-2 in a West Coast Conference men’s soccer game at Saint Mary’s Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Kawulok scored the game-winner in the 83rd minute.
It’s the third time this season that the Pilots have registered a game-winner with less than 10 minutes to play in regulation. The win improves UP’s record to 6-6-2 overall and to 1-4-1 in the WCC. The Gaels suffer their first conference loss and fall to 4-4-5 (3-1-2 WCC) overall.
With the score tied at 2-2, junior Colin Anderson set up Kawulok’s game-winner on a free kick with just seven minutes to play. Anderson sent in the perfectly placed feed, allowing Kawulok to finish with a header from five yards out. It’s the second goal this season for the senior.
Iwasaki, a sophomore, had previously tied the score with his second goal of the season in the 63rd minute. With the Pilots trailing by one, Iwasaki buried a shot inside the right post from 15 yards out. Anderson also assisted on the equalizer.
Portland’s late-game heroics were needed after the Gaels erased a 1-nil deficit with two consecutive goals. The first tied the score at 1-1 in the 38th minute, while the second gave Saint Mary’s a 2-1 lead in the 51st minute.
It was junior Ricardo Carrillo who gave the Pilots the 1-nil advantage with a tremendous goal in the 28th minute. Carrillo was able to find the left corner of the net from right of the SMC goal, 15 yards out. Junior Ben Hemphill picked up the assist.
Saint Mary’s held a slim 11-8 edge in shots, and both teams attempted four corner kicks. Portland sophomore goalkeeper Justin Baarts made three saves on the day, while his SMC counterpart Doug Herrick finished with one.
The Pilots now have 10 days off from games before they host the Gonzaga Bulldogs on Wednesday, Oct. 26. That WCC match is scheduled for a 7 p.m. kick-off at Merlo Field.
