Northwest University’s Acacia Johnson scored in each half to help lift the Eagles to a 2-0 victory over previously unbeaten Carroll College from Montana in a non-conference contest on Friday.
The defenses held one another scoreless for 43 minutes until NU’s Kelsey Greene lifted a nicely placed through ball up the middle from the opposing 40 to a streaking Acacia Johnson who put the ball into the lower left post from 12 yards out. Northwest would take a 1-0 lead into halftime.
In the second half it would be a defensive struggle until the 78:20 mark when Johnson would be on the scoring end of a through ball from teammate Sarah Taubenheim (Bellingham, Wash.) and take her own rebound off the goalkeeper and put a blast past Carroll goalkeeper, Jamie Carter, on the right side of the net.
Carroll pressed hard in the second half with nine of its 11 shots, but the Eagle defense held strong and NU keeper, Patty Hughes came up with four key saves to protect the lead and the shutout. Hughes finished with four saves while Carroll goalkeeper, Jamie Carter, grabbed six in goal for the Fighting Saints.
Northwest University (2-5-1) had 13 shots to Carroll’s (5-1-1) 11. Acacia Johnson led NU with four shots while Cassie Baldwin had four shots for the Saints.
Northwest will open conference play on Sept. 25 when they travel to Klamath Falls, Ore., to play Oregon Tech in the CCC opener. Carroll will travel to Olympia to play Evergreen this weekend.
