CALDWELL, Idaho – Mario Guizar scored a pair of second half goals, including the game-winner in the 68th minute, as Warner Pacific ended a three-match losing streak with a 2-1 victory over the College of Idaho at Simplot Stadium.
On a free kick in the half circle, Ruben Amezcua played a soft touch to Guizar at the top of the 18, hammering a low drive into the left corner of the net.
C of I (5-8, 2-7) scored just 45 seconds into the second half, as Riley Smith slotted home a rebound off a blocked Luis Gomez shot. However, less than three minutes later, Guizar stepped in front of an errant clearance and tapped home the tying goal.
The Yotes had two quality chances in the final 20 minutes to get the equalizer – one on a Nate Hunt one-timer in the 85th minute, with Hunt playing a ball in the final 120 seconds across the six-yard box, but failing to find a teammate's head.
The Knights (5-5-3, 4-4-1) dominated play in the first 10 minutes, narrowly missing a goal in the ninth minute, when a through-ball found the feet of Jimmy Johnson, who flick to the left post just missed. Johnson had another crack at a goal in the 30th minute, but C of I keeper Grant Billings made a diving deflection to force a corner kick.
C of I had their best chance of the opening half in the 16th minute, as a ball was played inside the six-yard box to Joao Cardoso, but his one-timer was hit right into the waiting hands of WP keeper Joe White. Gomez also had a quality chance early in the 33rd minute, as his unmarked header of a Cardoso corner drifted just high of the cross bar.
WP held a 15-13 edge in shots, with C of I holding a 6-3 edge in corner kicks. White made three saves for the Knights to pick up the win, sending the Yotes to their fifth-straight loss.
C of I returns to action on Saturday, hosting Northwest Christian at 3 p.m.
