BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Another day, another victory for the No. 20 nationally-ranked Western Washington University men's soccer team.

 

The Vikings scored a goal in each half in a 2-0 shutout victory over Western Oregon University Saturday evening in front of 398 fans at Harrington Field.

 

WWU remains unbeaten through the first nine games of the season at 6-0-3 overall and are off to a 2-0-0 start to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference season.

 

Freshman forward Albin Jonsson scored his GNAC-leading sixth goal of the season for the game-winner just six minutes into the contest and senior Alessandro Tomasi added an insurance goal on a penalty kick in the 56th minute to seal the victory.

 

The Vikings have now recorded six shutouts this season to rank amongst the NCAA Division II leaders and are quickly approaching the program single-season record of nine shutouts.

 

Junior goalkeeper Brandon Locke made his season debut with one save to record his 10th career shutout to tie for sixth-most in program history.

 

WWU held a 20-7 advantage in shots and a decisive 9-1 edge in shots on goal. 

 

WOU (1-5-1, 0-2-0 GNAC) is playing in its inaugural season. Goalkeeper Juan Suarez made seven saves for the Wolves.

 

The Vikings (6-0-3, 2-0-0 GNAC) are back in action next Saturday (Oct. 1) hosting rival Seattle Pacific University in a 7 pm game at Harrington Field. The complete 2022 schedule can be viewed online via wwuvikings.com/22_MSOC.

M⚽️ | Just another goal Albin Jonsson, his GNAC-leading 5th of the season puts @SoccerWWU up 1-0 early (6th minute) in a GNAC contest vs. Western Oregon. pic.twitter.com/6J6BlYTwfD
— WWU Athletics (@WWUAthletics) September 25, 2022


M⚽️ | Tomasi from the spot! Albin draws a foul in the box and Alessandro buries the PK to put @SoccerWWU up 2-0 with 34 minutes remaining in the GNAC contest. pic.twitter.com/7rzDlqt3gL
— WWU Athletics (@WWUAthletics) September 25, 2022

 

#20 Western Washington 2, Western Oregon 0

Date: September 24, 2022

Field: Harrington Field   Site: Bellingham, WA

Attendance: 398

 

Goals by period               1  2    Tot

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

Saint Martin's..............  0  0  -  0

#20 Western Washington......  1  1  -  2

 

SCORING SUMMARY:

1.       5:23     WWU     Jonsson (Stamnes, Hakamada)

2.      55:50     WWU     Tomasi (PK)

 

Shots: WWU 20, WOU 7

Shots on Goal: WWU 9, WOU 1

Saves: WWU 1 (Locke - 1), WOU 7 (Suarez – 7)

Corners: WWU 4, WOU 1

Fouls: WOU 10, WWU 7

Offsides: WWU 0, SMU 0

Kits: WWU (Light Blue), WOU (Black)

Records: WWU (6-0-3, 2-0-0), WOU (1-5-1, 0-2-0)

 

First meeting between Western Washington and Western Oregon.

 

WWU is undefeated at 6-0-3 through the first nine games of the 2022 season, marking the best undefeated start to a season in the 43-year history of the program. Here is a look at the best undefeated starts to a season by the WWU men's soccer program:

 

• 2022 (6-0-3) – 9 games
• 1997 (4-0-1) – 5 games
• 1983 (4-0-1) – 5 games
• 2018 (3-0-0) – 3 games
• 1991 (3-0-0) – 3 games
• 1984 (3-0-0) – 3 games
• 2015 (2-0-1) – 3 games
• 2000 (3-0-0) – 3 games

 

WWU is off Thursday but will battle with rival Seattle Pacific University next Saturday (Oct. 1) with a 7 pm game under the lights at Harrington Field. The game will be part of the Latine Heritage Month celebration at WWU with the women's team also hosting SPU at 4 pm. The complete 2022 schedule can be viewed online via wwuvikings.com/22_MSOC.

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

 

 

 

 

Here is a look at the early-season GNAC table and how the conference's seven teams have fared following the opening week of conference play:

 

 

There are likely to be a lot of tie games this season with new NCAA soccer rules for 2022 which eliminates overtime during the regular season. Any match that is tied at the 90-minute mark will now end that way, which means no overtime or golden goal scenarios. In the postseason, there will be overtime but no more golden goal; teams will play two full 10-minute extra periods regardless of any goals and if it is still tied, the advancing team will be decided on penalty kicks. Just for kicks, the WWU single-season record for ties is five set in 2017 (currently have three ties).

 

The Western Washington University men's soccer program is led by head coach Greg Brisbon, who has spent over 20 seasons affiliated with WWU Soccer. The Vikings won the 2019 Great Northwest Athletic Conference championship, the third league trophy in program history, and advanced to the NCAA II Championships for the second time. The program is in its 43rd season in 2022 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 60 GNAC All-Academic selections over the last five years.