BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Senior forward
Gabriela Pelogi netted the game-winner in the 83rd minute as the 11th-ranked Western Washington University women's soccer team overcame a halftime deficit with a pair of second-half goals to earn a 2-1 win over 7th-ranked MSU Denver on Saturday night at Harrington Field in a top 25 showdown.
The Vikings (3-1-0) fell behind 1-0 with a 40th minute goal by MSU Denver (2-1-1) and the Roadrunners kept the lead until sophomore midfielder
Grace Eversaul (Vancouver, WA/Skyview) netted the equalizer on a header in the 70th minute before the game-winner from
Pelogi (Federal Way, WA/Todd Beamer). Senior defender
Taylor Hallquist (Vancouver, WA/Columbia River) assisted both goals for the Vikings.
"I thought we played one of our more complete matches in this young season, gaining a great result against a very tough opponent," head coach
Travis Connell said. "I am happy with the way they battled back and didn't let the early goal get them down. They got better and better throughout the match and really showed experience and confidence in how they handled that. And they were rewarded with two very nice late goals that lifted us to the win. They were in the moment, didn't panic and did a nice job tonight."
MSU Denver took a 1-0 lead at the 39:44 mark when forward Reigna Banks took advantage of a WWU turnover as the Vikings were looking to pass from the defense line to the midfield. She gained control and dribbled into the box with space to finish from seven yards away for her team-leading fifth goal of the season.
WWU tied the score when Hallquist put a cross into the box from the right side that found Eversaul for the header from six yards away at the 69:23 mark. It was the second consecutive game with a goal for Eversaul.
The game-winner came from a corner kick by Hallquist that was sent into the box for a one-time touch by Pelogi, who put her right foot to the cross for a low deflected shot from seven yards away. It was the first goal of the season for Pelogi, who led the GNAC in 2017 with 15 goals and 36 points on her way to United Soccer Coaches All-American honors. Hallquist has 2 goals and 2 assists on the young season for a team-best 6 points following Saturday's game.
"Gabi is going to score goals…and even though she didn't score in the first three games, she was contributing in so many ways," Connell said. "She was rewarded for her efforts tonight with the game winner."
The Roadrunners had 7 shots (5 on goal) in the first half before WWU held MSU Denver to 2 shots (none on goal) in the second half. For the Vikings, 8 of their 11 shots on goal came in the second half. WWU also held an 8-0 advantage in corner kicks during the contest.
Sophomore goalkeeper
Natalie Dierickx (Kirkland, WA/Inglemoor/Colorado State) made 4 saves for the Vikings.
MSU Denver goalie Erica Torres made 8 saves for the Roadrunners with the team's defense recording a team save in the game as well.
The Vikings continue the non-conference schedule on the road next week, traveling to face Texas Woman's on Wednesday at 7 pm CT in Denton, Texas. The GNAC schedule begins on the road next Saturday at 7:30 pm with a showdown against No. 20 Concordia in a rematch of last year's GNAC Championships title game.
"We have two tough matches ahead of us on the road, one in Texas and one in Oregon to open conference play," Connell said. "Both present challenges that we will have to be our very best in both matches."
Game Notes: WWU played its second game of the season against a ranked opponent with two more games against ranked opponents upcoming in the next three games…MSU Denver was playing its first game as a ranked team since 2015 and achieved its highest rank since being No. 3 in September, 2010….Roadrunners were NCAA Division II national champions in 2004 and 2006 while Vikings won national title in 2016…first come-from-behind win for WWU since 5-1 win over Colorado Mines in NCAA Elite Eight during 2016 championship season…
Taylor Hallquist has a goal or assist in 3 of 4 games this year (2 goals, 2 assists).
