ROHNERT PARK, Calif. – Win and advance. That's the name of the game at this point in the season for the Western Washington University women's soccer team.
And they did just that on Friday morning, receiving a game-winning goal from senior defender Lindsey Fujiwara in the 63rd minute to defeat Stanislaus State 1-0 in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championships at Seawolf Soccer Field. The No. 3 West Region seeded Vikings defeated No. 6 Stanislaus State to move on to Sunday's second-round game vs. the winner of the Sonoma State vs. Cal State LA game at 1 pm today.
After a scoreless first half, the Vikings broke through in the 63rd minute with the go-ahead goal byFujiwara at the 62:42 mark. Freshman defender Makenzie Burks swung a corner into the middle of the box, but Stanislaus State cleared the ball with a header. Fujiwara one-timed the loose ball from 25-yards out with a strong volley that found its way through traffic into the lower left corner for her first goal of the season.
The Vikings held off Stanislaus State down the stretch to record the 14th shutout victory of the season, moving WWU to 19-2-0 overall. Western has won its last 15 games for the 3rd-longest winning streak in program history.
Western junior goalkeeper Natalie Dierickx was credited with four saves in her ninth shutout of the season.
Stanislaus State has its season come to a close with a 15-6-0 record.
"I like how the team prepared today and loved the way we started. We set the tone early, and although we didn't score, the game looked the way we wanted it to and were eventually rewarded with Fuji's goal," said WWU head coach Travis Connell. "This is a team made up of winners…and we have a good mentality when the postseason comes around. They are often up for it, and were certainly today, and the results show it."
Lindsey Fujiwara missed eight consecutive games after suffering a knee injury in the opening minute of the game October 12 at Western Oregon, but returned in time for the postseason playing 75 minutes in the GNAC Championships. Fujiwara's game-winning goal vs. Stanislaus State was her third career goal, two of which have come in the postseason. She had a similar goal during the semifinal of the 2018 GNAC Championships vs. Simon Fraser. The senior from Sammamish has now appeared in 75 career games.
"Lindsey has set a model for all future players that witnessed her not being denied the chance to play again for this team. She fought her way back through a lot of hard work, with no guarantees she would ever play again this season," said Connell. "This example she has set will last for multiple years. She is a game…the bigger the game the more she looks forward to it."
The Vikings dominated the run of play in the first half, but were unable to convert a goal to go into halftime scoreless 0-0. WWU out-shot Stanislaus State 11-2 with a 5-1 edge in shots on goal. Junior forward Jenna Killman had a late scoring opportunity drilling a shot from just inside the 18-yard box that was saved by Warriors goalkeeper Alyssa Herrman.
WWU extended its winning streak to 15 consecutive games, out-scoring opponents 50-5 during the streak…it is now the 3rd-longest winning streak in program history trailing only a 39-game streak (2016-17) and 38-game streak (1982-84)…WWU improved to 18-7-1 in 10 trips to the NCAA Championships, recording at least one win in 8 of 10 NCAA appearances…senior defender Peyton Chick appeared in her 88th career game, tied for 4th-most in program history…junior goalkeeperNatalie Dierickx recorded her 17th career shutout, tied for 6th-most in WWU history and tied for 10thin GNAC history.
SERIES HISTORY VS. STANISLAUS STATE
WWU avenged its NCAA Tournament loss to Stanislaus State in 2014 at Harrington Field and are now 3-2-0 all-time vs. the Warriors.
#3 Western Washington 1, #6 Stanislaus State 0
Date: Nov. 22, 2019
Field: Seawolf Soccer Field Site: Rohnert Park, CA
Attendance: 100 Weather: 60s
Goals by Period 1 2 Tot
---------------------------------------
Stanislaus State......... 0 0 - 0
Western Washington....... 0 1 - 1
SCORING SUMMARY:
1. 62:42 WWU Fujiwara
Shots: WWU 16, STAN 7
Shots on Goal: WWU 8, STAN 4
Saves: WWU 4 (Dierickx – 4), STAN 7 (Herrman - 7)
Corners: WWU 5, STAN 0
Fouls: WWU 15, STAN 5
Kits: WWU – Light Blue; STAN - Black
The Vikings have now made eight consecutive trips to the NCAA Division II Championships and 10 overall appearances in the NCAA postseason. The program owns an all-time 18-7-1 record in NCAA Championships play, winning at least one game in 8 of 10 trips to the NCAA postseason. WWU was crowned national champions in 2016 with a 24-0-1 record, capped by a 3-2 victory over Grand Valley State in Kansas City, Missouri.
BACK-TO-BACK GNAC CHAMPIONS
The Vikings have now won back-to-back regular-season titles and raised the conference trophy for the seventh time in the last eight seasons. WWU won five consecutive titles from 2012-16 and again in 2018 to add to the 2008 league championship. The Vikings have also won four of the seven conference tournament titles.
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 seven of the last eight Great Northwest Athletic Conference regular-season titles, going 92-5-5 in league play during this stretch (since 2012), and won four of the last five GNAC Tournament titles (2015, 2016, 2017, 2019). Head coach Travis Connell is in his 17th season leading the program in 2019, and has led the Vikings to 10 trips to the NCAA Championships (8 straight) and 16 consecutive winning seasons.
