OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Two goals, scored early and late in the first half, helped Warner Pacific University build a 2-0 halftime lead, as the Knights defeated The Evergreen State College 3-0 in a Cascade Collegiate Conference men's soccer game on Sunday, Oct. 19. The game was played at Geoduck Pitch on the Evergreen campus.

The Knights received one goal each from Ethan Zavala, Wicho Gonzalez, and Bryan Jimenez. WPU improved to 10-3-0 on the season, with a 6-2-0 mark in the CCC. Evergreen fell to 1-9-2 overall, 1-6-2 in the CCC.

Zavala opened the scoring for Warner Pacific just 42 seconds into the contest, when he shot from 18 yards into the lower left corner of the goal. The play began with a turnover by the Evergreen defense.

The score remained 1-0 for nearly the remainder of the half before Wicho Gonzalez doubled the WPU lead with a goal at 41:08. He was assisted on the play by Gabriel Rincon and Bryan Carmona

After Carmona gained possession near the right sideline, he sent a through-pass to Rincon, who gained control near end line. Rincon sent a pass from the right side to Gonzalez in the middle of the 18-yard box. Gonzalez scored on a 12-yard shot, as WPU claimed a 2-0 lead.

Roughly two minutes after the goal by Gonzalez, the Geoducks had a chance to cut the lead in half when the Knights were called for a foul in the penalty area. Alejandro Gallegos (Sr., D) took the ensuing penalty kick for Evergreen, but WPU goalkeeper Owen Purvis made a diving save.

The third goal of the game was scored at 65:04 on a penalty kick for the Knights. Bryan Jimenez scored the goal as he sent the spot kick into the lower left corner of the goal. 

Warner Pacific gained a 20-7 lead in total shots and held a 9-4 advantage in shots on goal. The Knights also achieved a 7-1 margin in corner kicks.

Evergreen goalkeeper Tom Cole made three saves and defenders added three team saves for the Geoducks. Purvis was credited with four saves for WPU while earning the shutout win.

Up next for the Geoducks is a CCC game at Northwest University on Saturday, Oct. 25. Game time in Kirkland, Washington, is set for 2:30 p.m. PDT.