SALEM, Ore.—Lewis & Clark College men's soccer goalie Ben Tallent made a season-high seven saves and the Pioneers set a new season-low for goals allowed, but the Pioneers fell to host Willamette University 2-0 on Wednesday night in their Northwest Conference home opener. 

THE BASICS
 
Willamette 2, Lewis & Clark 0
(Lewis & Clark 0-5, NWC 0-1) 
(Willamette 1-3-1, NWC 1-0) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
 
The hosts scored twice in a 15-minute span, with one goal on either side of halftime, to defeat Lewis & Clark in both team's NWC opener.
 
Tallent stopped seven of the nine shots he faced, including five saves in the second half. 
 
Sophomore Dylan Weinstein led Lewis & Clark's attack with a team-high three shots. Trevor Koo, Daniel Estoll and Aidan McPheeters all added shots on target for the Pioneers who registered a season-high nine shots in the contest. 
 
Sophomore Matt Chase scored the first two goals of his collegiate career to help Willamette notch their first win of the season. Tiago Palhetas and Andrew Reed each posted assists in the contest for the Bearcats. 
 
Junior Ibrahm Garza notched his second collegiate shutout after making three saves for Willamette. 
 
Lewis & Clark jumped off to a strong start with junior Aidan McPheeters forcing a save in the third minute. The Bearcats would slowly take wrest control away and put together the majority of their chances in the final 10 minutes of the half. 
 
The hosts took the lead in the 42^nd minute. The Bearcats sent a corner kick in from the far side that Tallent partially punched out. The ball fell to Palhetas who's shot through traffic was knocked down but it fell to Chase who poked it before a Pioneers defender could get to the ball at the back post. 
 
Willamette added a second goal off a corner kick in the 57^th minute. This time the Bearcats used a short corner routine and the ball was floated into the box from the far side. The initial header went backwards to the near post and Chase was once again the first to react as he sent a shot just inside the back post for a 2-0 advantage. 
 
Lewis & Clark pushed to get back into the game in the final 20 minutes and Ishan Abraham had the best chance when he pushed a shot just wide in the 86^th minute. 
 
BY THE NUMBERS

• Tallent's seven saves are tied with Micaiah Garan's total against Multnomah University (September 6) for the most saves by a Pioneers goalie this season. 
• The Bearcats held a 16-9 advantage in shots and 9-3 edge in shots on goal. 
• Lewis & Clark's nine shots were a new season-high. The Pioneers posted seven shots in each of their past two games. 
• McPheeters made his first start of the season and first start since the 2022 season. The junior started all seven countable games during his first campaign. 
• Sam London, Dylan Weinstein, Emmett Olson and Simon McGlothern all played the full 90 minutes.

WHO'S NEXT 
 
Lewis & Clark will have nine days off, before they host reigning Northwest Conference Champions Pacific Lutheran University in their 2024 home opener. The Pioneers will welcome the Lutes to Griswold Stadium on Saturday, September 28 at Noon.