FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – August 26, 2026
Portland, Ore. | The No. 8-ranked Warner Pacific University men's soccer team made its home debut Wednesday evening, defeating Linfield University 1-0 behind a late goal from senior Jose Robles.
The Knights controlled the pace throughout the match, dominating possession and consistently creating opportunities in the attacking third. Warner Pacific outshot Linfield 31-6 on the night, but the Wildcats' defense kept the Knights off the scoreboard until the closing minutes.
Warner Pacific came out firing in the opening half, recording 16 shots compared to just two from Linfield. The Knights also earned seven corner kicks, but the Wildcats were able to withstand the pressure and keep the match scoreless heading into halftime.
The story remained much the same in the second half, with the Knights continuing to control possession and generate scoring chances. Warner Pacific added another 15 shots, while Linfield managed four.
Despite the Knights' offensive pressure, Linfield goalkeeper Colby Reese helped keep the Wildcats in the match with five saves. Warner Pacific continued pushing forward, and with time running out, the breakthrough finally came.
In the 89th minute, senior Jose Robles found the back of the net to give Warner Pacific the 1-0 advantage. The goal was Robles' second of the season and proved to be the game-winner as the Knights closed out their home opener with a victory.
Following the match, Warner Pacific head coach Troy Ready reflected on the Knights' ability to generate opportunities while emphasizing the need to become more efficient in front of goal.
"On one hand, there's some positives to take away in generating 31 shots. However, we are clearly needing a much higher strike percentage as we only converted all of those attempts into a single goal. We will learn, improve, and keep on refining these details," Ready said.
Several Knights contributed to Warner Pacific's offensive attack. Forward Luis Wicho Gonzalez led the way with nine shots, including three on goal, while Mario Jauregui-Vallarta recorded three shots with one on target. On the defensive end, goalkeeper Johnathan Flores recorded two saves to secure the clean sheet for Warner Pacific.
Next Up
With their second victory of the season secured, the Knights now turn their attention to their final non-conference match before beginning Cascade Collegiate Conference play. Warner Pacific will take on Stanton University on Saturday at the Eastside Timbers Sports Complex, with kickoff scheduled for 11 a.m.
