LACEY, Wash. – Playing their first playoff match since 2005, the Evergreen Geoducks kept a magical season alive, defeating the Warner Pacific Knights, 4-1, in a Cascade Conference Men’s Soccer Championship Semifinal on Tuesday afternoon at the Regional Athletic Complex in Lacey, Wash.

The Geoducks (13-5-0) first got on the board in the 24th minute as senior Kevin Flavin (Oak Harbor, Wash./Shoreline CC) fed in a cross from the far side of the field and freshman Willie Spurr (Seattle, Wash./Roosevelt HS) got a head on it, pushing it past Drew Bonifacio for the 1-0 advantage.

The Knights (9-9-1) evened it up in the 30th minute as Alberto Casas sent in a shot that was cleared off the line but a Geoduck defender but Jameson Jones was there to collect the loose ball and put it in an open net to tie the game at 1-1.

Things would stay tied heading into the half and through the first 15 minutes of the second period but Flavin gave Evergreen the lead again in the 60th minute, dribbling around a WPC defender and Bonifacio before finishing from point blank for the 2-1 advantage.

Evergreen collected their first insurance goal in the 67th minute as Spurr took a page out of Flavin’s book, dribbling around the WPC keeper and firing it in for his second goal of the game.  The final goal for the Geoducks came in the 80th minute as senior Kyle Wiese (Battle Ground, Wash./Prairie HS) gathered a ball following a collision between WPC defenders and fired in on an open net for 20 yards out for the 4-1 win.

The Geoducks outshot the Knights, 13-11, on the night.  Bonifacio finished with four saves for Warner Pacific while Mauricio Sanchez (Wenatchee, Wash./Wenatchee Valley CC) made five saves to earn the win for Evergreen.

The win was the first postseason win for the Geoducks since Nov. 18, 2004 when Evergreen earned a 2-1 win over Rio Grande in the second round of the NAIA National Championship in Olathe, Kan.

Evergreen now advances to the 2012 Cascade Conference Men’s Soccer Championship Match on Saturday evening against Concordia.  Kick with the Cavs is set for 6 p.m. at Tuominen Yard in Portland, Ore.

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OLYMPIA, Wash. – In a potential playoff preview, the Evergreen Geoducks used a goal from junior Brady Espinoza (Pasco, Wash./Walla Walla CC) to get past the Northwest Eagles, 1-0, in a Cascade Conference men’s soccer match on Saturday afternoon on Field #3 in Olympia, Wash.

The first half was scoreless as neither team managed many opportunities.  Evergreen held a 4-1 advantage on shots prior to the break but it wasn’t enough to open the scoring.

In the second half, the Geoducks took advantage of a hard foul just outside the box that gave Espinoza the opportunity to bend the free kick around the defense and into the upper corner of the net for the game’s lone goal.

Evergreen finished the match with a 10-7 advantage on shots and both teams managed six opportunities in the second half.  Mauricio Sanchez (Wenatchee, Wash./Wenatchee Valley CC) made two saves to collect the shutout while Joe Gailbraith and Scott Lane combined for three saves for the Eagles.

The Geoducks will play their first playoff game since 2005, and their first home playoff game in school history, on Tuesday.  The opponent will be announced Saturday evening for the match which will be played at 4 p.m. at the Regional Athletic Complex in Lacey, Wash.

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LA GRANDE, Ore. – After helping lead the Geoducks to a pair of shutout victories at home against Warner Pacific and on the road at Oregon Tech, senior midfielder George Bundy (Enumclaw, Wash./Enumclaw HS) has been named Red Lion Cascade Conference Defensive Player of the Week.

Bundy, a staple for the Geoducks this season, played 175 of 180 minutes for the green and white.  In addition to playing stopper in the middle third, he also had an assist in the first goal of a 2-0 win over Warner Pacific last Wednesday.

The Geoducks, who have already secured second place in the conference standings, wrap up the regular season on Saturday afternoon against Northwest, beginning at 1 p.m.  Evergreen then opens up the postseason on Nov. 6 with a home game against the third-seed, also at 1 p.m. on Evergreen Pitch in Olympia, Wash.

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Ethan Sumlin (Centennial, Colo./Littleton HS)  scored in the first minute of the second half and Willie Spurr (Seattle, Wash./Roosevelt HS) put one in in the final minute of the match as the Evergreen Geoducks earned a 2-0 win over the Oregon Tech Owls in a Cascade Conference men’s soccer match on Saturday afternoon at Trevor Derrah Field in Klamath Falls, Ore.

After a scoreless first half, it was Sumlin who opened up the scoring after picking up a rebound and firing it into the center of the net from about 15 yards out.  The Geoducks continued to put pressure on the Owls defense but it wasn’t until the final minute that Evergreen would score again.

After OIT brought the keeper up to the offensive half of the field, Spurr put in a shot with just one second left on the clock for his eighth goal of the year and a 2-0 win for the green and white.

Keepers Collin Harlow (Kirkland, Wash./Shoreline CC) and Mitch Treend (Vancouver, Wash./Prairie HS) split time in net, combining for four saves and the shutout.  Loren Jessen played nearly all 90 minutes for the Owls, making nine saves but allowing the two goals, after coming in six seconds in for senior Tanner Lee, who earned the start in his final home appearance.

The Geoducks return home next Saturday for their regular season finale when they play host to in-state rival Northwest, beginning at 1 p.m. at Evergreen Pitch in Olympia, Wash.

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