College notebook: Geoducks men’s soccer off to best start in school history

The Evergreen State College men’s soccer team is 5-0 for the first time in its 35-year history.

“I think we’ve got some guys individually who are very good players,” Geoducks coach John Purtteman said. “They’re playing very well together, playing really selfless soccer.”

Evergreen finished third last season in the Cascade Collegiate Conference at 9-8-1. It has never won a conference championship, and its only trip to the NAIA tournament was in 2004.

Early for postseason chatter, yes, but Purtteman likes what he sees.

“The team’s good,” he said. “These guys can really play … it’s fun, exciting soccer to watch.”

The Geoducks opened conference play on the road last weekend and picked up wins at Eastern Oregon University (1-0) and Warner Pacific College (4-1).

They battled with the Mountaineers — finishing with 11 shots on goal — but the game was scoreless at the end of regulation Friday night.

And daylight was running out — the EOU pitch does not have lights.

“It was just about dark when we got to overtime,” Purtteman said. “The rule book says if we don’t finish (Friday), we come back (Saturday).”

The Geoducks — who had to stay two hours north in Pasco due to the popularity of the Pendleton Roundup — didn’t want to come back Saturday.

In the 97th minute, Tanner Williams beat a defender down the side of the field and passed to Willie Spurr, who volleyed the ball into the back of the net for the lone goal.

Saturday, the Geoducks scored three goals in the first half — two by Williams and one by Spurr – to breeze by Warner Pacific, 4-1. Williams also scored on a header in the 19th minute.

Spurr and Williams lead Evergreen this season with three goals apiece.

Issa Hassan added another goal on a penalty kick in the 53rd minute to make it 4-0.

“We were in control right from the start,” Purtteman said. “We had really long stretches of possession.”

The Knights scored their only goal in the 80th minute.

The Geoducks have outscored opponents, 13-3, and recorded two shutouts this season. They haven’t allowed more than one goal in any match.

Evergreen plays host to Northwest University (2-5) in its conference home opener at 2 p.m. Saturday in Olympia.

Saint Martin’s golf

Senior Ryan Pickthorn shot a 2-under-par 70 to finish at 212 at the Western Washington University Viking Invitational at Bellingham Golf and Country Club on Tuesday.

He took fourth place — his best finish in three appearances at the invitational.

Pickthorn opened the three-round tournament with a 3-under-par 69. He shot out-of-bounds on No. 2 for a two-stroke penalty that led to a bogey, but finished the round with six birdies — including two of his last three holes.

The second round didn’t go as smoothly. Pickthorn shot a 1-over 73, including a double bogey on the 18th hole where he three-putted after a poor chip onto the green.

“I didn’t let it bother me too much,” Pickthorn said. “I was hitting it solid and knew birdies were going to come.”

Six of them did in the third round as Pickthorn finished the tournament at 4-under par. He led the tournament in birdies with 16.

Near the end of his final round, Pickthorn hit a poor drive on hole No. 1 — he started the round on No. 4 as part of a shotgun start — but chipped onto the green from the trees for his final birdie.

“I just kept my composure well throughout the tournament,” Pickthorn said. “I made a lot of mistakes, and was bouncing back from them quite often.”

This story was originally published September 22, 2015 at 7:53 PM with the headline "College notebook: Geoducks men’s soccer off to best start in school history."