I have started to feel like I am a curse for Sedro-Woolley.  The Cubs games have all been pretty close, except the ones that I have been too…they've lost both games by 6 goal score lines to Sehome and this week to Meridian.  The game started well for both sides, each getting a pretty equal amount of chances on goal and playing very attractive attacking styles.  I thought that Sedro-Woolley had the best chances of the first 15 minutes; they just couldn't get one past the Meridian Keeper.    They took advantage of very fast wings on the outside to get the ball forward and cross it into the box pulling a lot of players forward, but just couldn't capitalize. 

That strategy would in the end be their downfall.  Meridian capitalized on a few chances by simply playing long ball.  #15 (sorry I couldn't get names, and the fans next to me couldn't decide who was who…) scored both goals in the first 30 minutes of the game by shooting for the corners.  The first goal went in off the post and the second was put in the opposite corner.   The Sedro-Woolley keeper did her best and made save after save (even using her face!) but it just wasn't enough to keep the two goals out. 

Right before half there would also be an injury to #2 from Meridian, I wish her a speedy recover, it looked like a dislocated shoulder maybe?

The Second half saw 2 goals in 10 minutes.  The Sedro-Woolley coach decided to pull 5 players at once and even changed keepers to get some of the younger players game time.  There was then 2 more goals in the next 15 minutes.  I'm pretty sure I saw a goal of the year candidate (if there were such a thing for High School soccer) #13 a defender chipped the ball from almost half, it hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced into the goal, it was very impressive and there was nothing that the keeper could have done to prevent it.

I hope to see more like it this year, and I will avoid going to any more Sedro-Woolley games (sorry girls, I really think I am to blame…) it just happened to work best with my schedule.

The Viking Women won in a  4-1 route of Western Oregon Thursday night. Justina MacDowell scored twice and MEgan Chapin had a goal and an assist as the Vikings improved their GNAC record to 3-2-0 this season.  The four goals were all scored by players who had not scored this season, and were also a team high on the year.  

“Megan was an important player for us today with a goal and two assists and Justina had two goals off corner kicks,” said WWU coach Travis Connell.

The game’s first four goals came in the first 29 minutes. “We’ve been so close on our free kicks, corner kicks and other restarts this season, and to get two goals off those is a good breakthrough for us. We needed to find a way to score on our restarts, so that is a good sign going forward.” The Vikings held the advantage in shots and corners, 9-8 and 8-2 respectively.  

WWU returns home to host Saint Martin’s on Saturday (3 p.m.) in a GNAC contest.

Western Washington vs. Western Oregon
Date: 09/29/11 Attendance: 111
Goals by Period           1    2     Total
Western Oregon               1     0 ---    1
Western Washington     3     1  ---   4
SCORING SUMMARY:
WWU - Chapin (Sych), 0:55
WWU - MacDowell (Frankland), 18:12
WWU - MacDowell (Chapin), 22:32
WOU - Bauman (Okuma), 28:33
WWU- Houplin (Chapin), 81:25
Shots: Western Washington 9, WOU 8
Corner kicks: Western Washington 8, WOU 2
Fouls: Western Washington 12, WOU 5
Saves: Western Washington 2 (Arthurs 2), WOU 1 (Rigtrup 1)

On a night that was setting up to be a frantic finish, SPU broke all the Viking fans hearts...well actually, the ref did.  On a questionable handball just inside the box, the ref pointed to the spot and Tyler Schultz put it away to send the Falcons home with all three points.  

SPU has not allowed a goal in any GNAC play, and kept that streak going against Western.  WWU's coach wasn't in the mood for excuses though, “We played hard, but not our best soccer, and against a good team, you need to have that,” said Travis Connell. “It was unfortunate the way we lost, but we needed to do more tonight.”

Seattle Pacific had a 20-10 advantage in shots, including an 11-4 margin in the first half. The loss snapped a three-game unbeaten (2-0-1) streak in the series for Western, which was 4-2-2 in the previous eight meetings.


The Vikings host Saint Martin’s on Saturday (6 p.m.) in a GNAC counter. 

Western Washington vs. Seattle Pacific
Date: 09/28/11   Attendance: 340
Goals by Period           1    2     Total
Seattle Pacific               0     1  ---   1
Western Washington     0     0  ---   0
SCORING SUMMARY:
SPU - Schultz (penalty kick), 84:13
Shots: Western Washington 10, Seattle Pacific 20
Corner kicks: Western Washington 3, Seattle Pacific 4
Fouls: Western Washington 20, Seattle Pacific 20
Saves: Western Washington 4 (Rogers 3, Team 1), Seattle Pacific 2 (Johnson 2)

WWU Men play SPU for a chance to make run at GNAC Title tonight Wednesday Sept 28, and Saint Martins on Saturday 
WWU Women hope to keep playoff chances alive with games away in Western Oregon on Thurs, and at home Sat vs Saint Martins

Oscar Jimenez is trying his hardest to get into the WWU record books.  Notching his 3rd assist on the year and pulling within two of the school record in the WWU 2-1 win over Montana State Billings.  The Senior from Mount Vernon got his 20th career assist on the game winning goal in the 38th minute.  

The Vikings won their second game in a row on the road and improve to 3-3-0 overall and 2-1-0 in GNAC play.  Jimenez sprung Caden Sowers for an open breakaway to get the Redshirt Freshman from Ferndale his first collegiate goal.  WWU scored in the 25th and 38th minutes, allowing a goal in the 54th.  They were outshot 13-6 but that didn't matter in coach Travis Connell's opinion, “It was a good win for us,” said Connell. “We were really in control of the match the whole way. Justin Moore (Jr., Port Orchard/South Kitsap), Jimenez and Brown helped us control the tempo of the game and stifle any of the other team’s runs.”

The Vikings next host Seattle Pacific on Wednesday (7 p.m.) in a GNAC contest at Orca Field on the Whatcom CC campus. 

Western Washington vs. Montana State Billings
Date: 09/24/11   Attendance: 165
Goals by Period           1    2     Total
Western Washington     2         0  ---   2
Montana State Billings 0     1  ---   1
SCORING SUMMARY:
WWU - Weishaar (Brown), 24:36
WWU - Sowers (Jimenez), 37:34
MSUB - Sheets (Brink), 53:15
Shots: Western Washington 6, MSUB 13
Corner kicks: Western Washington 6, MSUB 8
Fouls: Western Washington 8, MSUB 14
Saves: Western Washington 5 (Rogers 5), MSUB 2 (Miele 2)

The WWU Women had a 6-4 advantage in shots, but were still unable to come away with a win.  “We let one slip away from us today,” said WWU coach Travis Connell. “We completely dominated the first half. They got in our half literally two times in the first half and we hit the post and missed two one-on-one opportunities.”

Goalkeeper Jamie Arthurs made three saves for the Vikings, but was unable to prevent the second half goal. “The one time they get down in our half in the second half, they score a goal, and we can’t recover from that. We need to make our chances when we get them early in a game and put teams away like this because we have no business losing games like this," said Connell.

MSUB appears to be the team that Western can't beat with this being the 3rd straight 1-0 loss.  Westerns record is now 3-3-2, 2-2-0 in GNAC play.

Westerns next game is at Western Oregon on Thursday at 3 pm.

Western Washington vs. Montana State Billings
Date: 09/24/11 Attendance: 115
Goals by Period           1    2     Total
Western Washington     0     0  ---   0
Montana State Billings 0     1  ---   1
SCORING SUMMARY:
MSUB - Siler (Biglow), 64:19
Shots: Western Washington 6, MSUB 4
Corner kicks: Western Washington 2, MSUB 4
Fouls: Western Washington 12, MSUB 5
Saves: Western Washington 3 (Arthurs 3), MSUB 0 (Gordon 0)

Sophomore Steven Hughes scored his first collegiate goal in impressive fashion.  With only seven seconds left in the first half, he scored what would later become the game winning goal.  The win snaps a two-game losing streak for the Vikings. “Not only did we get our first conference win on the road, but we also got our first shutout of the season,” said WWU coach Travis Connell.  Hughes scored by putting the ball into the top corner after being deflected by a defender 15 yards out.  

Western also got the win after playing down a man. “We got a red card early in the second half and played a man down,” Connell said, “but we weathered a lot of pressure from NNU and the guys rallied around one another and played hard and gutsy and got the victory.”

Western had 0 corners and NNU held the 8-5 shot advantage but the defense stuck together and helped Leo Cohen and Keegan Rogers preserve the shutout.  The two keepers split time in the game.

The Vikings next travel to Montana State Billings for a GNAC contest Saturday (1:30 p.m.)

Western Washington vs. Northwest Nazarene
Date: 09/22/11   Attendance: 100
Goals by Period           1    2     Total
Western Washington     1     0  ---   1
Northwest Nazarene      0    0  ---   0
SCORING SUMMARY:
WWU - Hughes (Unassisted), 44:53
Shots: Western Washington 5, NNU 8
Corner kicks: Western Washington 0, NNU 7
Fouls: Western Washington 9, NNU 11
Saves: Western Washington 2 (Cohen 0, Rogers 2), NNU 2 (Engeman 2)

The Viking defense continues to be very stingy, getting the 4th shutout of the year in the 2-0 win.  Emily Frankland, a Senior from Sammamish scored in the 14th minute from eight yards out off a Katie Griffith (Sr., Burlington) cross.  The keeper got a touch on it, but it wasn't enough as she tallied her 3rd goal on the year. “Finally a go-to person,” Connell said about Frankland. “That’s important for us.”

Brina Sych, Sophomore from Vancouver, scored the other goal off a corner in the 47th minute, getting her second of the year.
“It feels great to get our first road win of the season,” said WWU coach Travis Connell (9th year, 95-54-18). “We got contributions from a lot of players today and we improved throughout the game. I’m really proud of their performance.”

Connell decided to replace Senior Alicia Patten in the back with freshman Brianna Jones.  Patten went for only 30 minutes as she is still recovering from an injury she received last week. “We could have played Patten more, but Jones was just fantastic in the back,” said Connell.

Keeper Jamie Arthurs had to make only one save on the night, but preserved the shutout to improver her GAA to 0.53

Western next goes to Montana State Billings on Saturday (1:30 p.m.) for a GNAC contest.

Western Washington vs. Northwest Nazarene
Date: 09/22/11 Attendance: 75
Goals by Period           1    2     Total
Western Washington     1     2  ---   2
Northwest Nazarene      0    0  ---   0
SCORING SUMMARY:
WWU - Frankland (Griffith), 14:42
WWU - Sych (off corner kick), 46:49
Shots: Western Washington 12, NNU 5
Corner kicks: Western Washington 7, NNU 3
Fouls: Western Washington 10, NNU 7
Saves: Western Washington 1 (Arthurs 1), NNU 5 (Zickefoose 5)

Here you can watch interviews and various other video news from the team!

http://goalwa.wordpress.com/2011/09/20/western-washington-vikings-campaign-for-new-soccer-home/


Check out this great writeup over at Goalwa.net about WWU trying to get a home for its soccer teams