The Rogue Community College Ospreys Men’s Soccer program hosted Walla Walla Community College in the Elite 8 of the NWAC Soccer Championships on Saturday, Nov. 4. The Ospreys came back, down a goal and down a man, after their keeper was sent off, scoring two goals in the final 20 minutes, to win 2-1 and punch their ticket to the Final Four for a second time in three years.
The Ospreys (13-3-1, 12-2) were hosting their first Elite 8 matchup and looking for revenge against Walla Walla (8-3-8, 6-2-4) who sent them home in the playoffs last year. The two teams battled back and forth in the first half with only a few shots from each squad, none of which found the net, and they went into the half scoreless.
Walla Walla came out hot in the second half looking to go up when they got past the back line in the 64’ minute and keeper Gio Rodriguez challenged and took the ball away, but was just outside the box when he did it earning a red card ejection. Kian Arias stepped into the free kick situation that ended up in a scrum with Walla Walla, putting it in to take the lead.
Down a man and down a goal, the Ospreys rallied earning a corner kick in the 71’ minute that would be blocked back to Jayden Cameron who sent the shot in and off the hand of a Walla Walla defender earning a penalty kick. Cameron would take it himself and tie the game in the 72’. Only five minutes later Nolan Geller intercepted a pass, swung it to Edgar Lopez Ramirez, who played it to a streaking Cody Brinkerhoff who one touched it into the net to go up 2-1. The skies opened up after the goal and the rain started coming down while the Ospreys would hold for the final 18 minutes of action, earning a berth in the Final Four.
It is the second appearance in the Final Four for the men after reaching it in 2021. They head back to take on the same team as two years ago and will face Highline College (15-1-2, 14-1) on Friday, Nov. 10 at 11:00am in Tukwila, WA at the Starfire Complex.