BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University women's soccer team battled Canadian powerhouse University of British Columbia on Thursday in preseason exhibition play at Harrington Field, but dropped the friendly 2-0 allowing a goal in each half.
The Vikings held a 15-13 advantage in total shots and had a slight 6-5 edge in shots on goal, but had a pair of would-be goals erased off the scoreboard on offside calls.
UBC took a 1-0 lead into halftime when Ava Alexander scored with just three seconds left on the clock, taking a feed from Danielle Steer. The Thunderbirds added an insurance goal when Alexander and Steer combined again in the 63rd minute finishing a three-shot sequence in the box.
WWU looked to take an early 1-0 lead in the 38th minute when senior defender
Caylie Etherington (Oak Harbor, WA) pounded a free kick into the wall, with a follow shot by sophomore forward
Sophie Bearden Croft (Portland, OR/Lincoln) finding the back of the net. Initially called a goal setting off a team celebration, officials reversed the call after a short meeting.
The Vikings had another similar situation late in the second half with a goal called off due to offsides.
Junior goalkeeper
Claire Henninger (Sequim, WA) made a pair of saves in 68 minutes in net and junior
Abigail Trengove (Folsom, CA/Long Beach State) made one stop in 22 minutes. Freshman forward
Claire Potter (Pasco, WA/Tri Cities Prep/Pasco), junior forward
Ellie Busik (Happy Valley OR/Grand Canyon) and Bearden Croft each had three shots in the contest to lead Western.
UBC goalkeeper Sarah Johns earned the clean sheet making six saves while playing the full 90 minutes.
WWU, ranked No. 10 nationally in the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division II Preseason Poll, closes out its three-match preseason schedule Sunday hosting Pacific Lutheran University at 2 pm at Harrington Field. UBC went 12-4-2 during the 2021 season and won the 2019 U SPORTS Canadian National Championship.
All match statistics and the win/loss record from Thursday's exhibition match do not count towards the official standings and stats for the 2022 regular season.
QUICK STATS
British Columbia 2, Western Washington 0
Preseason Exhibition Match
Date: August 18, 2022
Field: Harrington Field Site: Bellingham, WA
Attendance: 131
Goals by period 1 2 Tot
-----------------------------------------
British Columbia........... 1 1 - 2
Western Washington......... 0 0 - 0
SCORING SUMMARY:
1. 44:57 UBC Alexander (Steer)
2. 62:14 UBC Alexander (Steer)
Shots: WWU 15, UBC 13
Shots on Goal: WWU 6, UBC 5
Saves: WWU 3 (Henninger – 2, Trengove - 1), UBC 6 (Johns - 6)
Corners: WWU 3, UBC 0
Fouls: WWU 14, UBC 12
Offsides: WWU 6, UBC 2
Kits: WWU (White), UBC (Navy)
UP NEXT
The Vikings close out their three-match preseason schedule on Sunday hosting Pacific Lutheran University at 2 pm at Harrington Field. The official start to the 2022 season will feature WWU taking on the University of Puget Sound on August 25 at Harrington Field with kickoff at 4 pm. The complete 2022 schedule can be viewed online via
wwuvikings.com/22_WSOC.
