MEN'S CCC TOURNAMENT PRESENTED BY U.S. BANK
Monday – Quarterfinals
(1) Southern Oregon 5, (8) Corban 0
(2) Warner Pacific 4, (7) Providence 1
(3) College of Idaho 2, (6) Evergreen 0
(5) Oregon Tech 3, (4) Carroll 1 (OT)
Wednesday – Semifinals
4 p.m. – Southern Oregon vs. Oregon Tech
4 p.m. – Warner Pacific vs. College of Idaho
Friday – Championship
12 p.m. – Semifinal winners
SPRINGFIELD – No. 22-ranked Southern Oregon and Corban looked as mismatched as their seeds indicated Monday afternoon in the quarterfinal round of the Cascade Conference Championships presented by U.S. Bank.
SOU, the regular season champion, opened the postseason by pocketing its 10th consecutive win, 5-0 over the No. 8-seeded Warriors amid heavy rain and wind at Les Schwab Sports Park. The Raiders (17-2 overall) advanced for the sixth consecutive season to the semifinals, which they'll play at 4 p.m. Wednesday against Oregon Tech.
They peppered the Warriors (4-7-7) with 28 total shots, starting the onslaught in the 21st minute when
Adrian Villegas took a loose ball in the box and fired his team-leading 13th goal. Two minutes before halftime,
Evan Norconk passed ahead on a counter to
Alan Gaytan for a breakaway goal in stride that made it 2-0.
Norconk got a goal of his own by the 51st minute – his 10th of the season – and in the 63rd minute
Brad Thomas passed from beyond midfield to set up
Mustafa Daggig in the box for a four-goal lead.
The advantage was large enough to keep the Raiders' legs fresh for Wednesday: Of the 23 players available on their active postseason roster, 22 of them got on the field.
Tybalt Thornberry, one of three Raiders to play all 90 minutes, scored the final goal 35 seconds before the final buzzer when
Kevin Nevinger got into the defense and passed back to him.
Casey Ruvolo made three saves in SOU's 11th shutout of the season. In two matchups against Corban, the Raiders outscored the Warriors 10-1.
They've still never lost in 14 all-time tournament games, going to 9-0-5.
The other top-three seeds, No. 2 Warner Pacific and No. 3 College of Idaho, also got through and will meet in the other semifinal.
