NAMPA, Idaho – Freshman Morgan Manalili scored in the 78th minute to break a scoreless game to lift the Western Washington University women's soccer team to a 1-0 victory over Northwest Nazarene University to win the 2022 GNAC Tournament Saturday at NNU Soccer Field.

 

The goal by the GNAC Freshman of the Year came on an assist from senior midfielder Tera Ziemer, who corralled a pass after a defensive interception by freshman Asia Hardin. The goal came at the 77:27 mark, with the Vikings holding on over the final 12 minutes to win their sixth GNAC Tournament title.

 

WWU improved to 14-2-4 overall on the season and added a second GNAC trophy this season after claiming the regular-season title with a 11-1-2 league record. The Vikings receive the conference automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Championships, marking the program's 10th consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. The team will find out its seed in the six-team West Regional Monday with the NCAA Selection Show at 4 pm on NCAA.com.

 

"This was a very challenging and close game, just as championship games should go. Both teams played well defensively. I am really proud that we were able to find that goal to get a fantastic result on the road in the postseason," said WWU head coach and GNAC Coach of the Year Travis Connell. 

 

The Vikings recorded their 13th shutout of the season limiting the Nighthawks to just seven shots, the third-fewest in a game this season. Senior midfielders Tera Ziemerand Karina Provo proved to be difference makers throughout the game with their play on offense and defense.

 

"Tera (Ziemer) and Karina (Provo) were impact players throughout the game," said Connell. "Tera played a big part in the goal and Karina's performance in the midfield was exceptional."

 

With the game scoreless heading into the final 15 minutes of the game, the Vikings made good on a few second-half scoring chances in the 78th minute. Hardin intercepted the ball close to midfield and fed a pass to Ziemer, who streaked towards the box. Ziemer laid off a pass to Manalili at the top of the 18-yard box, firing a quick right-footed shot with three NNU defenders approaching. The low drive beat the NNU diving goalkeeper tucking inside the left post for her team-leading eighth goal of the season. 

 

Manalili was selected as the GNAC Championships Most Outstanding Player scoring the game-winning goal in both the 3-0 semifinal victory over Simon Fraser and Saturday's title game vs. Northwest Nazarene.

 

"Morgan is having a great year and has worked exceptionally hard to get to this point," said Connell. "She was ready for that moment, took a great pass from Tera and made a really great shot for a beautiful goal in a really big game."

 

Junior goalkeeper Claire Henninger worked with her defensive back line to record her ninth clean sheet of the season, making three saves. WWU held a 9-7 advantage in shots and edged NNU 4-3 in shots on goal.

 

WWU was playing with heavy hearts after learning that longtime program supporter Ron Higginbotham passed away Thursday evening.

 

"It was an emotional day for us and a lot of us played with heavy hearts with the passing of Ron," said Connell. "We needed a boost today and we played in special honor of Ron. He was such an amazing friend and an exceptional person with the life that he lived. He was a giant part of our soccer program at Western and touched so many lives throughout the years. He will be missed and we are thinking a lot about Emily and their wonderful family today."

 

WWU won the season series vs. Northwest Nazarene 2-0-1, earning a regular-season victory at home and a 0-0 tie earlier this season in Nampa. The Nighthawks dropped to 12-4-4 on the season after gaining their first GNAC Championships victory Thursday on their home field over Seattle Pacific, 2-1.

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A post shared by WWU Athletics (@wwuathletics)
 

2022 GNAC Championships Final

#10 Western Washington 1, Northwest Nazarene 0

Date: November 5, 2022

Field: NNU Soccer Field   Site: Nampa, ID

Attendance: 759           Weather: 47-degrees

 

Goals by period              1  2    Tot

-----------------------------------------

Western Washington.........  0  1  -  1

Northwest Nazarene.........  0  0  -  0

 

SCORING SUMMARY:

1.      77:27     WWU     Manalili (Ziemer)

 

Shots: WWU 9, NNU 7

Shots on Goal: WWU 4, NNU 2

Saves: WWU 3 (Henninger – 3), NNU 3 (Montoya - 3)

Corners: WWU 6, NNU 1

Fouls: WWU 9, NNU 9

Offsides: WWU 8, NNU 3

Kits: WWU (Black), NNU (White)

Records: WWU (14-2-4), NNU (12-4-4)

 

WWU won its sixth GNAC Championships title, adding the 2022 trophy to titles won in 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019. The Vikings were the No. 1 seed in the four-team championships after winning their ninth regular-season title. WWU has advanced to play in the championship game in all 10 GNAC Tournaments and is 16-2-2 all-time in the GNAC postseason. WWU and SPU are the only teams to qualify for every GNAC Tournament and have combined for nine of the 10 titles (WWU 6, SPU 3, Concordia 1).

 

 

The selection of Morgan Manalili as GNAC Championships MVP marks the sixth time in the 10 years of the tournament that a Western Washington player has won the award:

 

 

WWU won the season series vs. NNU 2-0-1, winning 1-0 at Harrington Field and drawing 0-0 in Nampa during the regular season. The Vikings improved to 40-2-2 all-time vs. the Nighthawks and 2-0-0 in postseason play winning 3-1 in last year's GNAC Championships semifinal in Bellingham. WWU is 18-2-1 all-time vs. NNU in games played in Nampa.

 

The Vikings will be making their 10th consecutive and 12th overall appearance in the NCAA Division II Championships. WWU will find out its seed in the six-team West Regional Monday during the NCAA Selection Show that is scheduled to air on NCAA.com at 4 pm PT. The Vikings were the 2016 NCAA Division II National champions, played for the national title in 2019 and has appeared in the West Regional Championship Game in eight of the last nine seasons (six consecutive).

 

Here is a look at Western's record breakdown for the 2022 season:

 

 

The Vikings won their ninth regular-season title, adding to conference regular-season championships in 2008, 2012-16 and 2018-19. WWU has finished first or second in the final GNAC table in each of the last 10 seasons dating back to 2012.

 

Here is a look at the Vikings 2022 season schedule and results following the GNAC Championships victory over Northwest Nazarene:

 

 

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 nine consecutive appearances in the NCAA Championships. WWU has advanced to the NCAA II Final Four in four of the last eight seasons and played for the West Region championship in eight of the last nine seasons (six consecutive). 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 eight of the last 10 Great Northwest Athletic Conference regular-season titles (2022 Champions) and won four of the last five GNAC Tournament titles (2015, 2016, 2017, 2019). Head coach Travis Connell is in his 20th season leading the program in 2022 (27th overall at WWU) and has led the Vikings to 11 trips to the NCAA Championships (9 straight) and 28 consecutive winning seasons. He picked up his 400th career victory October 16, 2021 vs. Simon Fraser. 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. Over the last eight seasons (since 2015), the Vikings have combined for a 137-18-13 (.854) record.