NAMPA, ID – The No. 18 nationally-ranked Western Washington University women's soccer team dropped a 2-1 road contest to Northwest Nazarene on Thursday in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.
 
In a battle of the No. 2 (WWU) and No. 6 (NNU) West Region ranked squads, the Nighthawks used an early equalizer and a late game-winner to record their second victory over the Vikings in 40 meetings in the all-time series.
 
After opening the season with a 10-game undefeated stretch (8-0-2), the Vikings have dropped three of their last six games to slip to 11-3-2 overall and remain in 2nd place in the GNAC with an 8-3-0 conference mark. Despite the loss, the Vikings officially clinched a spot in the GNAC Championships that will be held November 11-13 at Harrington Field in Bellingham.
 
NNU, who has been ranked as high as No. 10 in the nation this season, improved to 9-3-2 overall and 7-3-1 in GNAC games. The Nighthawks have won five consecutive games and are 6-0-1 since enduring a 1-0 loss at WWU on October 2.
 
"We knew what kind of game today was going to be and it was a game where the result would hinge on a few plays, and unfortunately we didn't make enough," said WWU head coach Travis Connell. "We limited them, but they also made it tough for us and put together a good game plan against us."
 
WWU got off to a quick start with junior midfielder Tera Ziemer scoring her sixth goal of the season less than six minutes into the game. NNU found a quick equalizer late in the seventh minute when Madison Grande scored less than two minutes following the Ziemer strike.
 
A give-and-go from senior midfielder Darby Doyle and Ziemer on WWU's side of the field jump-started the scoring opportunity for the Vikings. Doyle streaked through the NNU defense, feeding a perfect through ball to Ziemer who made a touch and a move and finished inside the left post for her sixth goal of the season.
 
Grande found the equalizer on a short and precise shot inside the six-yard box. Ashley Parton sprinted down the right side of the field beating a WWU defender, with her cross catching a few defenders off guard, where Grande pushed it into the back of the net past goalkeeper Natalie Dierickx.
 
After a pair of goals were netted in the first seven minutes, the game settled into a defensive battle until the Nighthawks scored the go-ahead and eventual game-winning goal in the 81st minute. Grande beat Dierickx to the ball just outside the box, leaving a clean look at the goal for an open-net goal.
 
The Vikings had a scoring chance in the 67th minute when freshman forward Ashley Nguyen placed a long shot 30-yards out into the upper right corner, with NNU goalkeeper Alexis Montoya making a jumping save to punch the ball away. WWU had a last-ditch effort to find the equalizer, but Ziemer's shot from close quarters was saved as the clock expired.
 
"We always believe, and this group has no shortage of that belief system," added Connell. "We knew it would be tight and it was a game where an inch or two was the difference in the result of the match."
 
The Vikings held a 15-8 advantage in shots with an 8-3 edge in shots on goal. Montoya recorded seven saves after allowing the early goal.
 

Northwest Nazarene 2, #18 Western Washington x1
Date: October 28, 2021
Field: NNU Soccer Field   Site: Nampa, ID
Att: 179
 
Goals by period                     1  2    Tot
-------------------------------------------------
#18 Western Washington............  1  0  -  1
Northwest Nazarene................  1  1  -  2
 
SCORING SUMMARY:
1.        5:27       WWU      Ziemer (Doyle)
2.        6:59       NNU      Grande (Parton)
3.       80:47.      NNU      Grande (LaBrosse)
 
Shots: WWU 15, NNU 8
Shots on Goal: WWU 8, NNU 3
Saves: WWU 1 (Dierickx – 1), NNU 7 (Montoya - 7)
Corners: WWU 5, NNU 2
Fouls: WWU 10, NNU 8
Yellow Cards: WWU 1, NNU 1
Offsides: NNU 2, WWU 1
Kits: WWU (White), NNU (Black)

  WWU suffered just its second loss all-time vs. NNU and had an 18-game winning streak and 31-match unbeaten streak snapped vs. NNU. The Vikings now lead the series 37-2-1 and are 17-2-0 in games played in Nampa.
  The Vikings (11-3-2, 8-3-0 GNAC) remains on the road Saturday playing at Central Washington in Ellensburg (12 pm) and complete the regular season next week with away games at Western Oregon and Saint Martin's. The complete 2021 season schedule, complete with live coverage links, can be viewed online at wwuvikings.com/21_WSOC.
  Here is a look at the updated GNAC standings following play on Thursday, with the Vikings in remaining in second place in the table with 24 points at 8-3-0 in league play. WWU and SPU have clinched two of the four spots in the 2021 GNAC Championships that will be held Nov. 11-13 at Harrington Field in Bellingham.