OLYMPIA, Wash. – Playing a rare morning game and the season opener for both squads, the Trinity Lutheran Eagles used a pair of second half goals to defeat the Evergreen Geoducks, 3-1, in a non-conference men’s soccer match on Saturday morning on Evergreen Pitch in Olympia, Wash.
The Eagles got on the board first as Frank Casillas passed a ball into the middle in the seventh minute, allowing Sergio Martinez to put the ball on goal for the early lead. That was the only scoring in the first half as Trinity Lutheran outshot the Geoducks, 7-5, in the opening 45 minutes.
In the second half, it was the Eagles again striking first in the 60th minute as Cesar Gonzalez fired off a perfectly-place cross on the right post, allowing Amin Lemrini to put it in the net with just one touch.
The Geoducks scored their first goal of the season in the 64th minute when Brady Espinoza (Pasco, Wash./Walla Walla CC) took advantage of a free kick from 25 yards out, placing the ball in the upper left corner to cut the gap to just one goal at 2-1.
Trinity Lutheran closed out the scoring in the 83rd minute as Sekou Rolland crossed Evergreen keeper Mitch Treend (Vancouver, Wash./Prairie HS) and bounced the ball off the post for the 3-1 final.
Both teams were equally impressive offensively, as each team was credited with 10 shots. Treend made three saves for Evergreen while TLC keeper Daniel Nadeau made five saves, allowing the one goal. The match was also a physical one with seven combined cautions shown.
The Geoducks will be back on the pitch on Aug. 30 when they play host to Menlo. Kickoff with the Oaks is set for 5 p.m. on Evergreen Pitch in Olympia, Wash.