BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The No. 7 nationally-ranked Western Washington University women's soccer team returns home to Harrington Field to host Texas Woman's University in a non-conference match on Thursday with kickoff at 7 pm.

 

The Vikings are 3-1-0 overall and off to a 1-0-0 start to the season in home matches. WWU was defeated earlier this week on Monday at Cal State Los Angeles, 1-0, on a golden goal in the 98^thminute in the first overtime period. All four of WWU's results this season have come via a final 1-0 score. 

 

This is the second meeting all-time between WWU and TWU, with the Vikings defeating the Pioneers 2-0 last season in Denton, Texas. The Pioneers are off to a 3-0-0 start to the season and are the top team listed receiving votes outside of the national top 25. TWU remains in Bellingham a neutral-site non-conference game vs. Concordia-Portland on Saturday at Harrington Field (12 pm kickoff).

 

Following Thursday's home match vs. Texas Woman's University, WWU will take back to the road for the third time this season with another trip to Colorado. The Vikings face current No. 10 nationally-ranked Colorado School of Mines (3-1-0) on Wednesday, September 25 at 7 pm MT/6 pm PT at Stermole Soccer Stadium in Golden, Colorado.

 

 

The Vikings have picked up three of the four GNAC Player of the Week awards so far this season. Senior co-captains Karli White (Offense) and Annaliese Laurila (Defense) swept the opening week awards, and junior goalkeeper Natalie Dierickx (Defense) won the award this week.

 

Following Thursday's home match, the Vikings will play their next two matches on the road at Colorado School of Mines (9/25) and the GNAC opener at Simon Fraser (9/28). WWU's next home contest is Thursday, October 3 vs. in-state rival Central Washington at Harrington Field (7 pm).

 

Here are some quick notes on the Vikings heading into Thursday's match vs. Texas Woman's Univ.:

 

»    Thin Margin – All four of WWU's games this season have been decided by a 1-0 score.

»    Everyday Annaliese – Senior defender Annaliese Laurila has started every match (72 of 72) of her career.

»    Points for Karli – Senior forward Karli White has 31 total points in 21 matches with the Vikings…has at least a goal or an assist in 12 of 23 matches (11 goals, 9 assists).

»    GNAC Champions – WWU has won six GNAC regular-season titles over the last seven seasons.

»    National Champions – WWU won the 2016 NCAA II National Championship with a 24-0-1 record.

»    Clean Sheets – Junior goalkeeper Natalie Dierickx has three clean sheets to her credit this season, and has recorded a shutout in 11 of 27 starts for the Vikings (11^th in program history).

»    Liv's Assists – Senior Liv Larson has recorded 21 career assists, 6^th-most in WWU history (24 is 5^th).

 

The Vikings moved up two more spots to No. 7 in the second regular-season edition of the United Soccer Coaches Division II Poll. WWU entered the season at No. 11 in the nation, the same spot where the team finished in the final 2018 rankings. WWU has a current streak of being ranked in each of the last 55 national polls dating back to midway through the 2014 season, and has at least received votes or been ranked in each of the last 80 polls going back to the 2012 season. 

 

Tickets for all of WWU's home matches can be purchased online in advance by visitingWWUVikings.com/WS_Tickets. The box office at Harrington Field will also open one hour prior to kickoff for each home game. All seats are general admission at Harrington Field ($5 – WWU student/faculty/staff/senior 60+, $8 – Adult). The complete 2019 schedule and additional information on the Vikings can be viewed at WWUVikings.com/WSOC.

 

Thursday's home match vs. Texas Woman's will stream live online via VikingsTV, with links available via WWUVikings.com/Live. All WWU home games at Harrington Field will feature an HD webcast that will simulcast on GNAC.tv and WWU's YouTube channel. 

 

Since debuting at Harrington Field in 2014, the Vikings are 49-2-1 (.952), including a perfect 9-0-0 record last season and off to a 1-0-0 start this season. The Vikings have a current 11-match home winning streak.

 

WWU has won 63 of its last 71 games dating back to the start of the 2016 national championship season, going 63-6-3 (.896) 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.

 

WWU women's soccer is in its 40th varsity season in 2019 and owns an all-time record of 468-208-60 for a .677 winning percentage. In 22 seasons playing at the NCAA Division II level, the program has recorded a 290-112-21 record and advanced to the NCAA Division II Championships nine times. Over the last eight seasons (since 2012), has combined to go 139-15-9 (.880) with a 80-5-5 (.917) record in conference play, and over the last five seasons (since 2015) has gone 84-8-4 (.896) with a pair of trips to the NCAA Championships Final Four.

 

Including the 2-1-0 start to this season, WWU is 71-12-8 (.824) in games away from Bellingham over the last eight seasons (9-3-2 last season, 12-1-0 in 2018). The Vikings play four of their first six games this season on the road, which includes two road trips to Colorado and one to Los Angeles.

 

Headlining WWU's list of returning players includes junior All-American goalkeeper Natalie Dierickx (0.53 GAA, 8 shutouts in 2018), senior forward Karli White (injured in 2018, 10 goals, 8 assists in 2017), junior midfielder Grace Eversaul (First Team All-GNAC, All-West Region), 2018 GNAC Freshman of the Year Dayana Diaz (7 goals) and three of four starting defensive players – seniors Annaliese Laurila, Emily Nelson and Lindsey Fujiwara that helped form one of the best back lines in the nation.

 

Here is a look at the 2019 GNAC Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll. WWU received all nine first-place votes for a perfect total of 81 poll points. WWU has won the GNAC regular-season title in six if the last seven seasons (2012-16, 2018) and seven times overall. 

 

 

The Vikings won their seventh GNAC regular-season title and advanced to the NCAA II Championships for the ninth time in program history in 2018. WWU finished with a 18-3-2 overall record and were 10-1-1 in conference play. A seventh consecutive trip to the NCAA II Championships led to a fourth straight trip to the NCAA II West Regional championship game for the fourth consecutive season (6th in last 7 seasons). Had season come to a close in a game decided on penalty kicks in a 0-0 tie vs. UC San Diego in the West Regional championship in Canyon, Texas. Eight players earned All-GNAC honors, five named All-West Region and three players were selected as All-Americans. Set program record with 10 selections to the GNAC All-Academic team. Earned a final national ranking of No. 11 in the United Soccer Coaches Division II Top 25, extending string of consecutive polls to be ranked in to 52 straight, and the seventh consecutive season to end the season ranked nationally (combined to go 136-14-9/.884 during this stretch). Had 13-game unbeaten streak from Sept. 19-Nov. 1, going 12-0-1 during this stretch. Listed by the NCAA as having the 2nd-toughest schedule in the nation.

 

WWU won its seventh GNAC regular-season championship, and sixth in the last seven seasons finishing with 31 points in the conference table at 10-1-1 in league play last season. Also won GNAC regular-season titles in 2008 and five consecutive seasons from 2012-16. Over the last seven season (since 2012), the Vikings are 80-5-5 (.917) in GNAC play.

 

The  Vikings have made seven consecutive trips to the NCAA Division II Championships and nine overall trips to the NCAA postseason. Overall own an all-time 17-7-1 record in NCAA Championships play, winning at least one game in 7 of 9 trips to the NCAA postseason. WWU was crowned national champions after in 2016 with a 24-0-1 record, capped by a 3-2 victory over Grand Valley State in Kansas City, Missouri.

 

The Vikings established a program and state of Washington collegiate record with their 39th consecutive victory on Oct. 26, 2017 at Northwest Nazarene. The 39-game winning streak broke the previous record of 38 consecutive wins set by the 1982-84 Vikings (10 games in 1982, 14 in 1983 and 14 games in 1984) and is the 4th-longest in NCAA II history and the 40-game unbeaten streak is tied for 4th-longest.

 

Travis Connell is in his 17th season leading the women's program as head coach and 24th overall as a coach at WWU. Owns a 241-70-28 (.752) record leading the women's program and entered the season listed as the 6th-winningest active coach amongst NCAA Division II head coaches. Overall he is 10th among all-time winningest NCAA Division II coaches, with a minimum of 10 years as a head coach at a DII school.

 

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).

 

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 80-5-5 (.917) 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.