LACEY, Wash.  – Western Washington University men's soccer forward Gilbert De La Luz recorded a hat trick to lead the Vikings to a 4-3 road victory over Saint Martin's University Saturday afternoon at Saints Field.
 
De La Luz, a second-year junior transfer from Tacoma Community College that scored 23 goals in two seasons with the Titans, got the Vikings on the board early in the first half in the 14th minute, then took the comeback into his own hands with the equalizer in the 71st minute and game-winner in the 82nd minute. The hat trick was the first by a Viking since Adam Talley in the 2015 season and the 14th performance by a WWU player with at least three goals during the NCAA era (since 1998).
 
The victory improved WWU to 3-6-0 overall and evened its conference mark at 1-1-0 following the first weekend of GNAC play. Saint Martin's dropped to 1-7-0 on the season and 0-2-0 in GNAC play.
 
"This was a great win on the road to pick up three points. The team showed great fight to secure a much-need win for the team," said WWU head coach Greg Brisbon. "Now we get a much-deserved couple of days off and prepare for a top team in the West Region with Simon Fraser visiting Harrington Field."
 
The Vikings led 2-1 at the half, with goals by De La Luz (14') and senior forward Alex Whiting (32'). The Saints lone goal in the first 45 minutes came at the 19:22 mark with an own goal credited to the Vikings.
 
The Saints came out of the half with two unanswered goals in the 50th (Ethan Jud) and 59th (Jason Fairhurst) minutes to take a 3-2 lead.
 
De La Luz tied the game with his second goal of the game at the 70:58 mark. Whiting got around three defenders and delivered a perfectly-placed chip to the back post where De La Luz headed it home. Whiting finished with a goal and an assist in his first game back from injury after the season-opening road trip.
 
Just under 11 minutes later, De La Luz secured the hat trick with the game winner at the 81:41 mark. Freshman forward Eric Bunnell dribbled through traffic in the middle of the field and slotted a through-ball to a streaking De La Luz. The forward gathered the ball with a soft touch and delivered a clinical finish inside the far post with 8:21 remaining in regulation.
 
WWU out-shot the Saints 18-12 and held an 8-4 advantage in shots on goal.
  WWU (3-6-0, 1-1-0 GNAC) completed a five-game road trip and will now play five consecutive home games at Harrington Field. The Vikings string of five straight conference home games – WWU's entire home GNAC schedule – begins next Saturday hosting Simon Fraser University at 7 pm at Harrington Field.
   

Western Washington 4, Saint Martin's 3
Date: October 2, 2021
Field: Saints Field      Site: Lacey, WA
Att: 120
 
Goals by period              1  2    Tot
-----------------------------------------
Western Washington.........  2  2  -  4
Saint Martin's.............  1  2  -  3
 
SCORING SUMMARY:
1.       13:05       WWU    De La Luz
2.       19:22       SMU    Own Goal by WWU
3.       31:06       WWU    Whiting (Steinmetz)
4.       49:48       SMU    Jud
5.       58:52       SMU    Settle (Fairhurst, Licona)
6.       70:58       WWU    De La Luz (Whiting)
7.       81:41       WWU    De La Luz (Bunnell)
 
Shots: WWU 18, SMU 12
Shots on Goal: WWU 8, SMU 4
Saves: WWU 2 (Wolter – 2), SMU 4 (Askland - 4)
Corners: WWU 6, SMU 1
Fouls: WWU 10, SMU 10
Yellow Cards: SMU 2, WWU 1
Offsides: WWU 5, SMU 0
Kits: WWU (White), SMU (Black)

SERIES HISTORY
WWU improved to 20-7-2 all-time vs. Saint Martin's and extended the current winning streak to four consecutive games over the Saints. The Vikings also have a current six-game undefeated streak vs. SMU (5-0-1) and a three-game winning streak in Lacey (8-6-1 all-time in road matches vs. SMU).
  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 is led by ninth-year head coach Greg Brisbon, who has spent over 20 seasons affiliated with WWU Soccer. The Vikings are the defending Great Northwest Athletic Conference champions, winning the 2019 title for the third league trophy in program history, and advanced to the NCAA II Championships for the second time. The program enters its 42nd varsity season in 2021, and has recorded an overall record at or above the .500 mark in eight of the last nine seasons, including a 13-5-1 mark in 2019 and 11-6-1 in 2018. 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. Overall the program has produced 58 GNAC Players of the Week selections, 30 First Team All-GNAC players and 4 GNAC Players of the Year since joining the conference in 2001. Off the field, WWU has built a strong academic reputation with 43 GNAC All-Academic selections over the last four years and the program has earned three consecutive United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Awards.