Sept. 28, 2006

Complete Release

BELLINGHAM, Wash. -- The Vikings play three games in four days, beginning with a home contest against Regis College CO at 12 noon. Western then opens the final stretch of its season, playing five of its remaining six games on the road. On Oct. 2, the Vikings travel to Simon Fraser, then take on Great Northwest Athletic Conference rival Seattle U., on Oct. 4. The start time for the SFU contest has been changed to 4 p.m., while Western's showdown with Seattle begins at 2:30 p.m.

Week In Review

Western opened the week with three straight losses, the first two coming on the road at Cal State Bakersfield (4-2) and UC San Diego (2-1). The Vikings returned home and dropped a 7-2 decision to Notre Dame de Namur, allowing the most goals by a Western team since 1997 in a 9-0 defeat to Seattle Pacific. Western rebounded by matching its highest scoring output in three seasons in a 5-1 win over visiting Pacific Lutheran.

Scouting Regis

Regis has won just once in its last eight games and enters the weekend with a 2-7-1 record, including a 1-6-1 mark in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play. The Rangers look to get back on track with a Friday night contest at Seattle Pacific before facing the Vikings in Bellingham on Sunday at noon. Regis has scored just seven goals this season, paced by freshman forward Mike Burns, who has two.

Scouting Simon Fraser

Simon Fraser has dropped three straight games, all via the shutout to fall to 2-5-3. The Clan has been shut out in six of ten contests this season, managing more than one goal on just one occasion. SFU has scored just seven goals and no player has scored more than one. The Clan opened the season with a 1-0 victory over Sonoma State and recently netted its second victory of the year, a 4-2 win over Warner Pacific.

Scouting Seattle U.

The Redhawks are 8-2-0, good enough for a No. 16 NCAA Division II ranking and the No. 2 position in the NCAA Far West Regional poll. Seattle will put its five-game winning streak on the line at Division I Portland on Friday, before entertaining the Vikings next Wednesday. The Redhawks have won six straight meetings between the two schools. The last Western win came on Nov. 9, 2002, when Gus Zadra struck for a goal and an assist to lead the Vikings to a come-from -behind, 2-1 victory. Junior forward Jason Cascio leads the GNAC in goals (10) and points (21).

Viking News and Notes

* In Monday's 5-1 win over Pacific Lutheran, the Vikings scored the initial goal of the game for the first time in 26 contests. The Vikings last scored first in a 1-0, double overtime victory over Chico State, on Sept. 10, 2005.

* The win also marked the 70th of head coach Travis Connell's career. With a current career mark of 70-70-6, Connell ranks first in all-time coaching wins at Western.

* Senior captain Gus Zadra has caught fire, scoring in each of the last four games. Zadra leads the team and ranks third in the GNAC with five goals this season and now has 13 for his career.

* Senior midfielder Joel Grossman has found the back of the net in two straight games, his first two goals of the season.

* Senior Robby Curry leads the team and is tied for second in the GNAC with five assists. Curry, who collected a pair of assists in Monday's 5-1 win, trails only Seattle's Dustin Allbury (6) within the conference.

* Western has scored 14 goals, 82% of its season total, in its last seven games. The Vikings had posted just three goals in the season's first six contests.

* The Vikings have been victimized by slow starts this season. In addition to allowing the games first goal in 12 of its 13 contests, Western has been outscored by its opponents, 19-5, in the first half.

* Following Sunday's game against Regis College, five of the Viking's six remaining games will be played on the road. Western has yet to win away from Bellingham this season, posting an 0-6-0 road record.