NAMPA, Idaho – Western Washington University junior midfielder Drew Farnsworth scored the first of his two goals less than five minutes into Saturday's 3-0 Great Northwest Athletic Conference victory over Northwest Nazarene at NNU Soccer Field.

 

WWU's third consecutive shutout victory kept the Vikings unbeaten in GNAC play at 4-0-1 and atop the conference table with 13 points. Western is now 7-3-1 overall with a current six-game undefeated streak (5-0-1). NNU dropped to 4-7-0 overall and 0-5-0 in conference play. 

 

"I am extremely proud of the team today, earning a good road win to pick up three points," said WWU head coach Greg Brisbon. "The team's focus was near perfect today…and that's what you need to have in this conference. They had great energy, executed the game plan well and played well in all facets of the game."

 

Farnsworth recorded his second career brace, scoring in the 5^th minute (4:28) and early in the 62^ndminute (61:01). The first goal started with a cross by sophomore Johan Espinoza, which was taken off one bounce deep in the box by Christian Rotter and sent quickly back across the face of the goal where Farnsworth hammered it home.

 

Senior defender Jeremiah Lee added a late first-half goal at the 44:06 mark off a perfectly-placed free kick from junior midfielder Georg Cholewa, connecting on a clean header to put the Vikings up 2-0 at the half.

 

"Drew (Farnsworth) was solid today and that early goal really jump-starts you, especially on the road," added Brisbon. "We got great contributions from everyone today – starters, reserves – and that is key when playing the current stretch of road games that we are in the middle of."

 

The Vikings put the game away with Farnsworth's second goal of the game and eighth of his career, teaming with sophomore defender Danny Fazio at the 61:01 mark.

 

Freshman goalkeeper Brandon Locke made three saves while recording his third consecutive shutout, extending the team's consecutive minute scoreless streak to 329:26 dating back to early in the second half in the home game vs. Saint Martin's on October 5. Locke came up with a big save in the 28^th minute to keep the Vikings ahead, coming off his line to cut down the angle and punched the ball safely away.

 

The Vikings out-shot the Nighthawks 17-10 and held a 10-7 advantage in shots on goal. NNU goalkeeper Sawyer Price made seven saves.

 

WWU (7-3-1, 4-0-1 GNAC) continues its grueling four-game road trip next week with road contests at Montana State Billings on October 24 (Thursday) and then travels North of the border to face Simon Fraser on October 26 (Saturday). WWU finished the week 2-0-0 with a 1-0 win Thursday at Saint Martin's and today's 3-0 victory at NNU.

 

WWU improved to 4-1-0 on the road this season, with a perfect 3-0-0 road mark in GNAC games…Jeremiah Lee first goal of the season and fourth of his career (54^th game, 49^th start)…Christian Rotter recorded his team-leading fourth assist of the season (11^th of his career) giving him 35 career points to move into 17^th place in WWU history.

WWU leads the all-time series vs. NNU 18-6-3, with three consecutive shutouts. WWU is undefeated at 4-0-2 in last six matches vs. the Nighthawks and is 10-4-1 all-time in Nampa.

 

Western Washington 3, Northwest Nazarene 0

Date: October 19, 2019

Field: NNU Soccer Field  Site: Nampa, ID

Attendance: 50

 

Goals by period           1  2   Tot

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

Western Washington......  2  1 -  3

Northwest Nazarene......  0  0 -  0

 

SCORING SUMMARY:

1.   4:28   WWU   Farnsworth (Rotter, Espinoza)

2.  44:06   WWU   Lee (Cholewa)

3.  61:01   WWU   Farnsworth (Fazio)

 

Shots: WWU 17, NNU 10

Shots on Goal: WWU 10, NNU 3

Saves: WWU 3 (Locke – 3), NNU 7 (Price - 7)

Corners: WWU 6, NNU 4

Fouls: NNU 12, WWU 11

Kits: WWU – White; NNU – Black

                   

Here is a look at the updated GNAC through games played on Saturday. Montana State Billings and Simon Fraser are 3 points back of WWU with each earning one point following a 0-0 tie in Billings on Saturday. Updated standings are always available at GNACsports.com:

 

Fans can follow WWU men's soccer online at WWUVikings.com/MSoc, and via social media on Twitter (@SoccerWWU), Instagram (@wwu_msoccer) and Facebook (@WWUsoccermens). 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 men's soccer program enters its 40^th season at the varsity level in 2019 with head coach Greg Brisbon leading the program in his seventh season as the head coach. The program has recorded an overall record at or above the .500 mark in six of the last seven seasons, including a 11-6-1 mark overall in 2018 and a 7-4-1 mark in the GNAC to finish second in the conference. In 2016 the Vikings advanced to the NCAA Division II Championships for the first time in program history, using a late-season surge that saw the Vikings 5-0-1 over the last six matches to advance to the postseason. WWU beat 19^th-ranked Dixie State in the first round of the NCAA Championships 3-2 in overtime on a golden goal header. Overall the program has produced 43 GNAC Players of the Week selections, 27 First Team All-GNAC players and 3 GNAC Players of the Year since joining the conference in 2001.