Western Oregon Dominates St. Martin’s With Six-Goal Surge
Western Oregon defeated St. Martin’s 6-2 in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference men’s soccer match in Monmouth, Oregon, after breaking open a tied game with three goals in a 10-minute span during the second half. The victory lifts the Wolves to 3-1-1 in conference play and 6-3-5 overall, while St. Martin’s drops to 0-6 in the GNAC and 5-9-1 on the year.
Early Goals and Halftime Control
The match began with a fast start for the hosts as two players notched their first goals of the season to establish an early advantage. Vitaliy Polyukh put Western Oregon on the board at 2:08 with a shot into the upper righthand section of the goal. Eli White followed at 18:16, also finding the same spot to double the lead. The Wolves carried a 2-0 advantage into the locker room at halftime, holding a 10-2 edge in total shots, including a 9-0 margin in shots on goal, alongside four corner kicks to none for the Saints.
Second-Half Momentum Shift and Decisive Response
St. Martin’s erased the deficit quickly after the intermission, scoring at 54:01 and 58:31 to tie the match at 2-2 with their first shots on goal of the match. The deadlock proved short-lived as Charlie Matsumoto reclaimed the lead for Western Oregon at 58:31 by converting a pass from Marcus Vazquez for his first goal of the season. Ignacio Brandon extended the lead to 4-2 just over three minutes later at 61:43 off an assist from Archie Dhima. Dhima then scored his GNAC-leading 12 goal of the year at 68:58, assisted by Vazquez, to push the score to 5-2. Idin Fakhri capped the scoring with his first goal of 2026 with just over a minute remaining in the match.
Match Statistics and Final Tally
When the final whistle sounded, the Wolves had outshot the Saints 22-6, putting 18 shots on target compared to just three for St. Martin’s. The six scores were the most this season for the Wolves, surpassing their previous high of 5 goals against UT-Tyler. Vazquez contributed two assists in the contest, marking his first and second helpers of the season.
Upcoming Non-Conference Action
Western Oregon steps away from conference competition this Saturday to host Jamestown (North Dakota) at 7 pm in Monmouth.
Match Questions Answered
What was Western Oregon’s conference and overall record following the victory?
The Wolves improved their record to 3-1-1 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play and 6-3-5 overall.
Which players scored their first goals of the season early in the match?
Vitaliy Polyukh and Eli White each scored their first goals of the season early after kickoff to give Western Oregon an early 2-0 lead.
Who scored the team’s sixth and final goal of the afternoon?
Idin Fakhri secured the final goal with just over a minute left on the clock, marking his first score of 2026.