BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The No. 10 nationally-ranked Western Washington University women's soccer team put together a dominating performance in a 6-0 shutout victory over in-state rival Central Washington University Thursday evening at Harrington Field.
The Vikings remained undefeated at 6-0-2 on the season and moved to the top of the table during the early part of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference season with a perfect 3-0-0 start in league play. CWU dropped to 1-6-0 overall and 0-3-0 in GNAC play.
WWU extended its unbeaten streak to 20 consecutive games against the Wildcats (18-0-2) by holding a decisive 37-3 advantage in shots and 19-3 edge in shots on goal. The victory also marked WWU's 21st consecutive GNAC victory dating back to the 2018 season and have a 27-game conference unbeaten streak (26-0-1). Additionally, Western extended its unbeaten streak to 29 consecutive games at Harrington Field (26-0-3).
Senior forward
Jenna Killman led the charge with her first career brace, scoring the Vikings first goal in the 22nd minute and adding another score to open the four-goal second half. Five different Vikings found the back of the net in the lopsided victory and six players recorded an assist.
Sophomore forward
Ellie Busik had a goal and an assist for her first points as a Viking and freshman forward
Sophie Bearden Croft scorer her first collegiate goal.
"It was great to see contributions from so many players tonight," said WWU head coach
Travis Connell, who is now just four wins short of 400 for his head coaching career. "We have a deep roster and that was on display tonight. I love how we stayed hungry throughout the whole match…it was a great mentality to have."
Also scoring goals for the Vikings were junior
Grace Eversaul for her 21st career goal (tied for 16th in WWU history) and freshman forward
Zola Carbone.
Senior All-American goalkeeper
Natalie Dierickx (1 save) and sophomore
Claire Henninger evenly split the Vikings fourth shutout of the season playing 45 minutes apiece.
CWU goalkeeper Liz Canton made 13 saves for the Wildcats.
The Vikings (6-0-2, 3-0-0 GNAC) return to action Saturday night hosting Northwest Nazarene (3-2-1, 1-2-0 GNAC) in a GNAC match starting at 7 pm at Harrington Field.
QUICK STATS
#10 Western Washington 6, Central Washington 0
Date: September 30, 2021
Field: Harrington Field Site: Bellingham, WA
Weather: 55°, Early Rain Turned Pleasant Night
Attendance: 135
Goals by period 1 2 Tot
-----------------------------------------
Central Washington......... 0 0 - 0
#10 Western Washington..... 2 4 - 6
SCORING SUMMARY:
1. 21:15 WWU Killman (Ziemer)
2. 38:32 WWU Bearden Croft (Busik, Diaz)
3. 53:52 WWU Killman (Etherington)
4. 67:26 WWU Eversaul (Milburn)
5. 73:46 WWU Busik
6. 82:32 WWU Carbone (Baty)
Shots: WWU 37, CWU 3
Shots on Goal: WWU 19, CWU 1
Saves: WWU 1 (Dierickx – 1, Henninger - 0), CWU 13 (Canton – 13)
Corners: WWU 13, CWU 0
Fouls: CWU 16, WWU 5
Offsides: WWU 4, CWU 1
Kits: WWU (Navy), CWU (White)
ALL-TIME SERIES
WWU extended its lead in the all-time series to 46-10-8 and have a current 20-game unbeaten streak vs. the Wildcats (18-0-2), which includes a current six-game winning streak. Improved to 7-0-1 vs. CWU at Harrington Field and now 22-5-4 in home games vs. the Wildcats.
UP NEXT
The Vikings (6-0-2) remains at home hosting Northwest Nazarene on Saturday at Harrington Field (7 pm kickoff). The full 2021 season schedule, complete with live coverage links, can be viewed online at
wwuvikings.com/21_WSOC.
HARRINGTON FIELD SUCCESS
Since Harrington Field debuted on the south edge of the WWU campus in 2014, the Vikings are 64-2-4 (.943) playing in front of the home crowd.
WWU has a current 29-game unbeaten streak (26-0-3) at Harrington Field dating back to the end of the 2017 season (last home loss - Oct. 28, 2017 vs. Concordia). Including the men's program, WWU's soccer teams have a combined record of 95-21-13 at Harrington Field (.787 winning percentage) since the on-campus facility debuted.
GNAC STANDINGS
Here is a look at the updated GNAC standings through play on Thursday, with the Vikings at the top of the table with nine points at 3-0-0 in league play:
| WOMEN'S SOCCER |
CONF |
PTS |
OVERALL |
PCT |
HOME |
AWAY |
NEUTRAL |
STREAK |
| Western Washington |
3-0-0 |
9 |
6-0-2 |
.875 |
4-0-1 |
1-0-1 |
1-0-0 |
Won 3 |
| Seattle Pacific |
2-1-0 |
6 |
5-1-0 |
.833 |
2-0-0 |
3-1-0 |
0-0-0 |
Lost 1 |
| Saint Martin's |
2-1-0 |
6 |
3-4-0 |
.428 |
3-1-0 |
0-3-0 |
0-0-0 |
Won 1 |
| Simon Fraser |
2-1-0 |
6 |
1-4-1 |
.250 |
1-3-0 |
0-1-1 |
0-0-0 |
Won 1 |
| Montana State Billings |
1-2-0 |
3 |
4-3-1 |
.563 |
3-0-0 |
0-3-1 |
1-0-0 |
Lost 1 |
| Northwest Nazarene |
1-2-0 |
3 |
3-2-1 |
.583 |
3-0-0 |
0-1-1 |
0-1-0 |
Lost 1 |
| Western Oregon |
1-2-0 |
3 |
2-5-0 |
.285 |
2-1-0 |
0-3-0 |
0-1-0 |
Won 1 |
| Central Washington |
0-3-0 |
0 |
1-6-0 |
.142 |
0-1-0 |
0-3-0 |
1-2-0 |
Lost 6 |
FOLLOW THE VIKINGS
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).
Gallery: (9-30-2021) WS | WWU 6, CWU 0 (9/30/21)
ABOUT WWU SOCCER
The Western Washington University women's soccer program has risen to the top of the Division II ranks, with a string of eight consecutive appearances in the NCAA Championships. WWU has advanced to the NCAA II Final Four in four of the last seven seasons and played for the West Region championship in seven of the last eight seasons. The Vikings played for the 2019 national title and 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 and won four of the last five GNAC Tournament titles (2015, 2016, 2017, 2019). Head coach
Travis Connell is in his 19th season leading the program in 2021, and has led the Vikings to 10 trips to the NCAA Championships (8 straight) and 16 consecutive winning seasons. He is nearing his 400th career victory, currently with
396 all-time head coaching wins. WWU finished the 2019 season with a 23-3-0 record, winning the West Regional title and played in the national championship game falling 1-0 to Grand Valley State.
WWU's 179 wins during the 2010s decade were the 6th-most out of 1,043 NCAA women's soccer programs.
