BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The No. 12 Western Washington University women's soccer team remained undefeated in conference play with another shutout victory, soundly defeating Saint Martin's University 6-0 Tuesday evening in front of a crowd of 868 fans at Harrington Field in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.

 

The Vikings out-shot the Saints 38-3 while improving to 6-0-0 in GNAC play and 10-2-0 overall. Western has yet to allow a goal in the six conference games while out-scoring opponents 30-0. Over its last four games, the Vikings have scored 25 goals.

 

WWU again used a balanced offensive outburst to record a victory, with five different players scoring a goal (one SMU own goal). During the six-game stretch of GNAC games that has netted 30 goals, 11 different players have scored a goal with 10 players recording multiple goals.

 

"It was great to get so many contributions from the team…as we played a lot of matches in a short amount of time," added Connell, on the Vikings three-game stretch in six days. "We were not as sharp as we have been, but we got a good result. We will get some rest before playing Saturday and look to get back to the sharpness and the quality that we want."

 

After sending a barrage of shots on goal through the first 30 minutes of contest, the Vikings finally broke through with a header goal by senior midfielder Jordyn Bartelson late in the 32^nd minute. Junior defender Talia Daigle sent a corner kick into the top of the box, where Bartelson sent a looping header over the SMU keeper from 16-yards out.

 

The Vikings added a late second-half goal in the 43^rd minute when freshman forward Estera Levinte weaved through the defense and blasted a shot to the far post for her third goal of the season.

 

Junior midfielder Alice Hiebert extended the lead to 3-0 at the 64:01 mark when she curled her own corner kick into the goal to the far post for her first goal of the season (fourth of career).

 

Junior midfielder Grace Eversaul converted on a penalty kick goal in the 70^th minute to give the Viking a 4-0 lead.

 

Junior forward Zoe Milburn continued her recent offensive surge with her team-leading sixth goal of the season in the 74^th minute and the Vikings added another tally on a Saint Martin's own goal in the 76^th minute.

 

"It's incredible to right now…everybody is good on our team," said Hiebert on the total team contributions. "There are not many programs where you can say that. No matter who steps on the field, they are going to impact the game in a positive way and that is something special."

 

Playing for the third time over the last six days, the Vikings were able to use the team depth to their advantage with 19 players seeing action. Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Claire Henninger made a pair of saves to earn her first clean sheet while making her first career start and freshman defenderKatie Watt also made her first career start.

 

Saint Martin's dropped to 2-8-2 overall and 0-5-0 in GNAC play. Freshman goalkeeper Ali Campigotto made 11 saves for the Saints.

 

WWU remains at home hosting Simon Fraser on Saturday night at Harrington Field (7 pm), the second of a season-high three-game homestand.

 

"We love playing at home at Harrington Field, and tonight was a great crowd that I know our players appreciate," said Connell on the crowd of nearly 500 fans. "We had the local club team out, which our players really enjoy, and that the connection we have with the youth soccer community is very important to our program."

 

WWU held a 19-0 advantage in corner kicks, the most since a 21-0 advantage in the 2016 national semifinal vs. Kutztown…the Vikings have out-shot GNAC opponents 179-22 in the six games, with a decisive 78-9 advantage in shots on goal…all 10 of WWU's victories this season have come in shutout fashion…allowed only 3 goals all season for a .248 goals against average.

 

The Vikings (10-2-0, 6-0-0 GNAC) remain at home for the next two matches, hosting Simon Fraser on Saturday at 7 pm and Seattle Pacific next Thursday (Oct. 24, 7 pm).

 

WWU is now unbeaten over its last 17 regular-season GNAC games going back to last season, with a 16-0-1 mark during this stretch.

 

The Vikings lead the all-time series vs. Saint Martin's 21-2-1, including a 11-0-1 record in Bellingham (5-0 at Harrington Field). WWU has won the last 16 meetings in the series since 2011, out-scoring the Saints 56-7. Over the last seasons WWU has out-scored Saint Martin's 26-1, including a 6-0 victory last Thursday in Lacey.

 

The Vikings have recorded six consecutive shutouts, all in conference play, while out-scoring teams 30-0 during that span. Going back to midway through the first half in the game at No. 9 Colorado School of Mines on September 25, WWU has as current string of 613:50 consecutive scoreless minutes.

 

#12 Western Washington 6, Saint Martin's 0

Date: Oct. 15, 2019

Field: Harrington Field  Site: Bellingham, WA

Attendance: 468

 

Goals by Period               1  2    Tot

-----------------------------------------

Saint Martin's..............  0  0  -  0

Western Washington..........  2  4  -  6

 

SCORING SUMMARY:

1.   31:56   WWU  Bartelson (Daigle)

2.   42:42   WWU  Levinte (Diaz)

3.   64:01   WWU  Hiebert

4.   69:27   WWU  Eversaul (PK)

5.   73:52   WWU  Milburn (Chick)

6.   75:34   WWU  Own Goal

 

Shots: WWU 38, SMU 3

Shots on Goal: WWU 17, SMU 2

Saves: WWU 2 (Henninger – 2), SMU 12 (Campigotto – 11)

Corners: WWU 19, SMU 0

Fouls: WWU 7, SMU 7

Kits: WWU – Light Blue; SMU - Black

 

Here is a look at the updated GNAC standings through games played on Tuesday:

 

 

Since debuting at Harrington Field in 2014, the Vikings are 53-2-1 (.955), including a perfect 9-0-0 record last season and off to a 5-0-0 start this season. The Vikings have a current 15-match home winning streak.

 

WWU has won 70 of its last 80 games dating back to the start of the 2016 national championship season, going 70-7-3 during this stretch. The program has won six of the last seven GNAC regular-season titles, three of the last four GNAC Tournaments and advanced to the NCAA Championships in each of the last seven seasons. During the seven-year stretch of consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, WWU has reached the West Regional Championship match six times and advanced to the NCAA II Final Four three times (2013, 2015, 2016). Western has a current streak of 15 consecutive winning seasons the 8th-longest active streak in NCAA II.

 

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). All home matches feature a live webcast, as well as most road matches, with links on how to follow the games available at WWUVikings.com/Live.

 

The Western Washington University women's soccer program has risen to the top of the Division II ranks, with a string of seven consecutive appearances in the NCAA Championships. WWU has advanced to the NCAA II Final Four in three of the last six seasons and played for the West Region championship in six of the last seven seasons. The Vikings won the NCAA Division II National Championship in 2016 with an undefeated 24-0-1 record, beating three-time defending national champion Grand Valley State 3-2 in the title game in Kansas City, Missouri. Including the national championship run, the Vikings put together a 39-game winning streak (4th-longest in NCAA II history) and a 40-game unbeaten streak. The program has claimed six of the last seven Great Northwest Athletic Conference regular-season titles, going 86-5-5 (.922) in league play during this stretch, and has won three of the last four GNAC Championships titles (2005, 2016, 2017). Head coach Travis Connell enters his 17^th season leading the program in 2019, and has led the Vikings to nine trips to the NCAA Championships and 15 consecutive winning seasons.