BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Western Washington University sophomore midfielder
Grace Eversaul headed home the game-winning goal in the 63
rd minute to give the No. 18 nationally-ranked Vikings a 2-1 victory over No. 6 Concordia Thursday night in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action at Harrington Field.
The Vikings avenged a 1-0 loss to the Cavaliers earlier this season in Portland with the 2-1 win over the Cavaliers, extending WWU's unbeaten streak to nine consecutive games. The Vikings are 8-0-1 since the 1-0 defeat in Portland, improving to 12-2-1 overall and moved into a first place tie with a 7-1-1 GNAC record. Concordia had its 12-match unbeaten streak snapped suffering its first loss of the season, moving to 10-1-2 on the season and 7-1-1 in conference play.
WWU, Concordia and Simon Fraser are tied atop the GNAC standings with 22 points each, securing three of the four spots in the GNAC Championships that will be held Nov. 1-3 in Portland, Oregon.
"Tonight had a real playoff atmosphere to it with two teams defending incredibly hard trying to disrupt what the other team was trying to do," said head coach
Travis Connell. "This helps us prepare for future games in the playoffs. Every game is an opportunity to get better. Tonight we showed a lot of heart and determination and we are seeing ourselves round into some pretty good form right now."
After a defensive battle for the first 35 minutes of the half, both teams scored less than two minutes apart to in the 38
th and 40
th minutes.
WWU struck first at the 37:04 mark, when sophomore
Alice Hiebert (Bellingham, WA) took a soft-touch pass through the box from junior forward
Liv Larson (Arlington, WA) and beat the keeper to the far post from 12 yards out for her second goal of the season. Junior defender
Peyton Chick (Renton, WA/Kentridge) was also credited with an assist on the goal with her long service finding Larson in the box to set up the goal.
Less than two minutes later at the 39:02 mark, Concordia scored the equalizer. Senior midfielder Gabriella Ewing collected a rebounded header shot in the box and with a little open space connected from 8-yards out to the far post for her team-leading fifth goal of the season.
Sophomore forward
Zoe Milburn (Maple Valley, WA/Tahoma) nearly put the Vikings back on top late in the 43
rd minute when she fired a shot off the crossbar from the right wing.
Eversaul (Vancouver, WA/Skyview) put the Vikings ahead for good with a header goal in the 63
rd minute. Eversaul connected on a looping header from 12-yards out after another long service from Chick, putting the Vikings up 2-1.
The Cavaliers threatened in the 85
th minute when Sydney VanSteenberge went on a streaking run through the box, but WWU redshirt sophomore goalkeeper
Natalie Dierickx (Kirkland, WA/Inglemoor) made a sliding save on the shot to keep the Vikings ahead.
The Viking out-shot the Cavaliers 18-13, with a slight 6-5 advantage in shots on goal.
Dierickx made four saves for the Vikings, while Concordia goalkeeper Rose Hauser also had four stops for Concordia.
The Vikings (12-2-1, 7-1-1 GNAC) close out their four-game homestand Saturday evening hosting Western Oregon at 5 pm at Harrington Field. It will be the last regular-season home game of the season, with WWU's seven honored in a pregame ceremony.
GAME NOTES…WWU is unbeaten in its last 9 games (8-0-1)…moved into a first-place tie with Concordia and Simon Fraser…secured a spot in the GNAC Championships with the win, continuing a streak that has had the Vikings play in the tournament in all seven seasons it has been played…WWU has allowed only 3 goals during the current 9-game unbeaten streak…
Peyton Chick has recorded 5 assists over the last 5 games, and leads the team with 6 assists (tied for 3
rd in GNAC)…WWU improved to 47-2-1 all-time at Harrington Field.
FOLLOW THE VIKS…fans can follow WWU women's soccer online at
WWUVikings.com/WSoc, and via social media on
Twitter (@WWU_WSoccer),
Instagram (@wwu_wsoccer) and
Facebook (@WWUsoccerwomens).
UPDATED GNAC STANDINGS…
|
WOMEN'S SOCCER
|
CONF
|
PTS
|
OVERALL
|
PCT
|
HOME
|
AWAY
|
NEUTRAL
|
STREAK
|
|
Concordia *
|
7-1-1
|
22
|
10-1-2
|
.846
|
3-0-1
|
6-1-1
|
1-0-0
|
Lost 1
|
|
Western Washington *
|
7-1-1
|
22
|
12-2-1
|
.833
|
8-0-0
|
4-2-1
|
0-0-0
|
Won 3
|
|
Simon Fraser *
|
7-2-1
|
22
|
9-4-1
|
.679
|
5-1-0
|
2-2-1
|
2-1-0
|
Lost 1
|
|
Seattle Pacific
|
6-3-0
|
18
|
10-4-1
|
.700
|
5-2-0
|
5-2-1
|
0-0-0
|
Won 2
|
|
Central Washington
|
3-4-2
|
11
|
3-7-4
|
.357
|
1-4-3
|
2-3-1
|
0-0-0
|
Won 1
|
|
Western Oregon
|
3-5-1
|
10
|
5-7-2
|
.429
|
2-4-1
|
3-3-1
|
0-0-0
|
Lost 1
|
|
Northwest Nazarene
|
3-6-0
|
9
|
7-6-1
|
.536
|
5-2-0
|
2-4-1
|
0-0-0
|
Lost 2
|
|
Saint Martin's
|
1-8-0
|
3
|
5-10-0
|
.333
|
2-7-0
|
3-3-0
|
0-0-0
|
Lost 4
|
|
Montana State Billings
|
1-8-0
|
3
|
4-9-1
|
.321
|
2-4-0
|
1-5-1
|
1-0-0
|
Lost 5
|
|
* indicates clinched berth in GNAC Championships
|
