OLYMPIA, Wash. – With the game tied and the sun beginning to set behind the trees, junior Jeremy Novack (Lake Forest Park, Wash./Shorecrest HS) put in the game winner into the net for the Evergreen Geoducks as they earned a 3-2 win over the visiting Warner Pacific Knights in a Cascade Conference men’s soccer match on Wednesday afternoon on Evergreen Pitch in Olympia, Wash.

The Geoducks (2-5-1, 1-3-1 CCC) struck first as Josh Strasser (Bellevue, Wash./Bellevue College) dribbled up the right side and fired the ball past Warner Pacific (5-2-1, 3-1-1 CCC) keeper Drew Bonicacio for a 1-0 lead just 6:31 into the game. The goal was the first given up by Warner Pacific in over 588 minutes.

The Knights evened things up in the 32nd minute as Alija Sacirovic got his head on a free kick by Brandon Tatum and put the ball past Evergreen keeper Mitch Treend (Vancouver, Wash./Prairie HS) to tie the game a 1-1 heading into halftime.

Evergreen again took the lead in the 53rd minute after junior Kevin Flavin (Oak Harbor, Wash./Shoreline CC) fired in a free kick from 40 yards out that got nothing but net as it flew past the outstretched hands of WPC keeper Drew Bonifacio.  Warner Pacific tied it up yet again in the 80th minute as Jameson Jones get his left boot on the ball from five yards out for the equalizer.

With the sun beginning to set and the game looking bound for overtime, the Geoducks dug deep once more. With a throw in from the left side, junior Kyle Wiese (Battle Ground, Wash./Prairie HS) flew the ball in from the sideline and Novack found the ball, one-touching it into the back of the net for the game-winner as the Geoducks earned their first conference win of 2011, handing the Knights their first conference loss of the season as well.

Warner Pacific held a 19-11 advantage on shots but Treend was solid in net, making eight saves to collect the win.  Bonifacio also had some great stops for the Knights, making four saves while allowing the three goals.

Evergreen will be back in action on Saturday when they make the long drive to Klamath Falls, Ore. for a match with Oregon Tech.  Warner Pacific will be in action as well on Saturday, hosting the Corban Warriors.

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