Aug. 26, 2009

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - The Western Washington University men's soccer team makes its 2009 season debut Saturday (7 p.m.), playing host to National Soccer Coaches Association of America NCAA Division II Preseason No.17-ranked Sonoma State University at Orca Field on the campus of Whatcom Community College.

]The Vikings, the defending Great Northwest Athletic Conference champion, finished 11-5-3 last year, closing with six wins and a tie in their final seven games. They entertain The Evergreen State College on Tuesday (7 p.m.).

Sonoma State took the California Collegiate Athletic Association title last fall and reached the NCAA II post-season tournament. The Seawolves played NCAA I Stanford to a 0-0 tie in an exhibition contest last Thursday.

The Vikings have won just one of 10 all-time meetings with Sonoma State, losing in each of the last five seasons.

Western is led by senior goalkeeper Cameron Copps-Tilley (Vancouver/Fort Vancouver) and junior forward Gibson Bardsley (Fall City/Mount Si). Copps-Tilley was a first-team all-GNAC pick last season, posting six shutouts and a 1.13 goals-against-average. Bardsley, a two-time first-team all-GNAC choice, had seven goals and four assists last year after having a team-high 11 goals as a freshman. After just two seasons, he already ranks seventh in school history in career goals with 18.

Directing the Vikings' program is Travis Connell, who is beginning his 11th season with a record of 94-87-11. He has earned GNAC Coach of the Year honors each of the last two seasons.

Evergreen State is a NAIA national affiliate which posted a 5-12-0 mark in 2009.

The Vikings are 18-10-2 overall against the Geoducks. Their last meeting was in 2006 when Western took a 3-2 overtime victory.

WWU MEN'S SOCCER: Young, explosive team to rely on senior's steady hands

BEN FLETCHER - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

Perhaps no player on the Western Washington men's soccer team is more excited to take the field on Saturday, Aug. 29, than Cameron Copps-Tilley.

After an offseason that involved rigorous treatment for a slipped disc in his back and then an urgent appendectomy in late July, the returning first-team All-GNAC goalkeeper is planning on being ready when the Vikings take on No. 17 Sonoma State at 7 p.m. at Whatcom Community College.

"It's been a rough go," Copps-Tilley said in a phone interview, "but it makes you appreciate it when you're fully healthy."

Copps-Tilley said he finally is. His coach isn't so sure, if only because Vikings skipper Travis Connell knows a lot is riding on the continued health of his starting goalkeeper.

"We'll ease him back in because we'll need him in the long haul to be a big time player for us," Connell, who received GNAC Coach of the Year honors each of the last two years, said in a phone interview.

"It's vital," the coach said of his keeper's health. "I mean, for us to win the conference and go to the national tournament, which are our goals, we're going to need Cam in there on a regular basis."

Copps-Tilley, who returned to practice on Tuesday after roughly a two-week lay-off, is poised to be there - and, once again, excel.

After posting six shutouts and 73 saves with a 1.13 goals-against-average last year, the senior has high hopes for even more this year. He'd like to make a run at breaking the Vikings single-season shutout record of nine - set by Darin Laier in 2001 - despite a schedule his coach described as one of the toughest in the country.

"We have a great defense this year, so yeah, I think it's possibility," Copps-Tilley said.

But more important, he said, is helping Western win the GNAC again, which they've been picked to do in the conference preseason poll. The Vikings hope that this year they'll also be awarded an NCAA Division II national tournament invitation, unlike last year when the Vikings were passed over despite an 11-5-3 record.

The snub didn't sit well with Copps-Tilley, but the sociology major didn't have much time to stew over it in the offseason. His body was demanding attention.

No surgery was needed after doctors discovered a slipped disc in Copps-Tilley's back, but a rigorous treatment program included an epidural cortisone injection in his spine. In late July, near the start of training camp for the Vikings, Copps-Tilley experienced another blip on his road to recovery.

He had to have an appendectomy.

"It was all really quick," Copps-Tilley said. "I was just having pretty severe stomach pains - I think it was a Sunday night - and, then went into the doctor's office Monday morning and then was in surgery by Monday afternoon."

This fall, a healthy-feeling Copps-Tilley returns to a Vikings team that Connell described as young, though technically sharp with plenty of pace.

The speedy Gibson Bardsley, a two-time first-team all-GNAC selection, will return for his junior season after leading the team with seven goals and four assists last year. Mitch Barrows, of Ferndale, and sophomores Kellan Brown and Oscar Jimenez, all midfielders, serve as the "engine of the team," Connell said. Senior forward Michael Ricci was a second-team All-GNAC selection last year, too.

Together, that makes the steady hands of Copps-Tilley, along with fellow senior defender Chris Jepson, another second-team All-GNAC selection who played at Sehome, a reassuring cog in the soccer machinery.

Consistency will be key for a team Connell said, "can be fantastic at times."

"I have no question that we're going to be able to score goals or we're going to be able to dictate the tempo," Connell said. "But we're going to have to defend well, so that's discipline, it's concentration, it's good goalkeeping, it's all those things for 90 minutes."

Copps-Tilley likely wants to play every single one of those minutes, too.

"After having a couple injury setbacks and it being out last year, I'm definitely really fired up to get back out there and get into the game," Copps-Tilley said.

THREE KEY GAMES

AUG. 29 VS. SONOMA STATE UNIVERSITY

At Whatcom Community College, 5 p.m.

Sonoma State was one of the top teams in the country last year and handed the Vikings a 2-0 loss on the road. WWU will be tested right from the start.

SEPT. 7 VS. CHICO STATE

At Whatcom Community College, 2 p.m.

Western gave nationally ranked Chico State all it could handle last season, but eventually lost 2-1 in overtime. It could be a different outcome with the Vikings at home.

OCT. 3 VS. SEATTLE PACIFIC UNIVERSITY

At Whatcom Community College, 7:30 p.m.

The Falcons handed WWU its only GNAC loss last season. The Vikings always want to knock off SPU especially at home.

THREE TO WATCH

Gibson Bardsley

Forward, Jr.

Bardsley was a first-team GNAC all-star last season after recording seven goals and four assists. He'll look to improve on that this season.

Michael Ricci

Midfielder, Sr.

Ricci was one of the top distributors for the Vikings last season after tallying five assists. One of his three goals was also a game-winner.

Chris Jepson

Defender, Sr.

Jepson helped lead a strong defense last season and earned second-team GNAC all-star honors. He also added two goals and two assists.

2009 SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
Aug. 29 Sonoma State 7:00 p.m.
Sept. 1 Evergreen State 7:00 p.m.
Sept. 5 Humboldt State 7:00 p.m.
Sept. 7 Chico State 2:00 p.m.
Sept. 10 Metro State 7:00 p.m.
Sept. 13 at Mesa State 8:00 p.m.
Sept. 15 at Grand Canyon 1:00 p.m.
Sept. 19 Simon Fraser 7:00 p.m.
Sept. 24 Montana State-Billings* 7:00 p.m.
Sept. 26 Northwest Nazarene* 7:00 p.m.
Oct. 3 Seattle Pacific* 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 5 at Saint Martin's* 3:00 p.m.
Oct. 17 at Northwest Nazarene* 1:30 p.m.
Oct. 21 at Cal State Dominguez Hills 7:00 p.m.
Oct. 23 at Cal State Los Angeles 1:00 p.m.
Oct. 26 at Simon Fraser 7:00 p.m.
Oct. 29 at Seattle Pacific* 7:00 p.m.
Oct. 31 at Montana State-Billings* 2:00 p.m.
Nov. 2 at University of Mary# Noon
Nov. 5 Saint Martin's* 7:00 p.m.
* Great Northwest Athletic Conference game
# at Billings, Mont.

2009 ROSTER
No. Name Pos. Yr. Hometown
0 Leo Cohen GK Fr. Seattle
1 Cameron Copps-Tilley GK Sr. Vancouver
2 Chris Brundage D Fr. Gig Harbor
3 Matt Fishbaugher M Jr. Redmond
4 Tyler Bjork M So. Kirkland
5 Brendan Quilici F Jr. Battle Ground
6 Sujinda Dangvan M Fr. Vancouver
7 Kenny Parker M Jr. Seattle
8 Michael Ricci M Sr. Bellevue
9 Gibson Bardsley F Jr. Fall City
10 Sean Connor M So. Mount Vernon
11 Kellan Brown M So. Tacoma
12 Bryan Hall D Fr. Tacoma
13 Mitch Barrows M Sr. Ferndale
14 Keith Ferris M So. Richland
15 Justin Moore F Fr. Port Orchard
16 Darragh Simm F Jr. Woodinville
17 Chris Shin - Jr. Vancouver
18 Cris Geday D Jr. Vancouver
19 Oscar Jimenez M So. Mount Vernon
22 Thomas Kauffman D Jr. Evanston, Ill.
23 Chris Jepson D Sr. Bellingham
25 Christian Warman GK Jr. Sedro-Woolley

GNAC PRESEASON POLL
1. Western Washington
2. Seattle Pacific
3. Montana State Billings
4. Saint Martins
5. Northwest Nazarene

NCAA DIVISION II PRESEASON POLL
1. Cal State Dominguez Hills
2. Dowling
3. University of Tampa
4. Northern Kentucky
5. Midwestern State
6. Millersville
7. Tusculum
8. Massachusetts-Lowell
9. Lynn
10. Fort Lewis