Box Score SALEM, Ore. – Willamette scored a goal in each half Saturday afternoon to hand The Evergreen State College a 2-0 women's soccer loss in the Geoducks' season opener.

The Bearcats, who played the game as an exhibition, got on the scoreboard in the 42nd minute on Jenae Arnold's 18-yard strike to the far side of the goal. They used a nice build up to score the other tally in the 53rd minute with Kelsey Walker using the outside of her right foot to find the back of the net.

Evergreen's best chance came in the 34th minute following a Willamette foul several yards beyond the top of the box. Ellie Engel took the free kick and the dipping goal-bound effort was tipped onto the cross bar by Willamette goalkeeper Emily Sewall. Another Evergreen shot on the ensuing scramble was knocked away by Sewall.

Engel forced another Willamette save in the 88th minute, but this time her looping header didn't really trouble Bearcats backup keeper Hannah Seyffert.

Evergreen put three of their six shots on target, while Willamette had five of their nine total attempts on frame. Geoducks senior goalkeeper Kayla Baskett finished with two saves and another shot was cleared off the line by the defense.

Head coach Adam Fenster used the season opener to debut a large number of first-year collegiate players, four of whom started. A total of 10 newcomers to the Evergreen program saw action in the contest.

The Geoducks return to action at 3 p.m. tomorrow when they play the Sierra Nevada College Eagles in a non-conference match at the Corban University field in Salem.