BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Senior midfielder Kaydin Wall scored in the 84th minute on his senior night to help lift the Western Washington University men's soccer team to a 1-0 victory over No. 14 nationally ranked Western Oregon Thursday evening at Harrington Field.
The Vikings closed out the 2024 season winning eight of their last nine games to finish 10-5-3 overall and in 2nd place in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings at 8-3-1 (25 points). WWU entered the week listed just outside the top 10 in the Super Region 4 rankings, with 10 teams earning a bid to the NCAA Division II Championships. The GNAC does not have a postseason men's soccer tournament, but will be adding it next season with a three-team format.
"It was a great way to send off our seniors. Apart from all the emotions senior night brings, I was really proud of how the team followed the game plan and was able to execute on both sides of the ball," said WWU head coach Greg Brisbon. "I thought the team made great adjustments throughout the game. Everyone contributed to a great program win helping build momentum going forward to next season."
WWU put up one of its best performances of the season against the GNAC champion Wolves (13-3-1, 9-2-0 GNAC), earning the 1-0 shutout victory to improve to 7-2-1 at Harrington Field this season and 2-2-0 against top 25 opponents. WOU had its string of scoring at least one goal in 15 consecutive games snapped with WWU's shutout performance.
The game was scoreless through the first 83 minutes before Wall found the back of the net with just over six minutes remaining in the game. Junior winger Albin Jonsson took a shot from well outside the 18-yard box that was deflected by WOU goalkeeper Andre Schlaefli and Wall collected the ball inside the 6-yard box and slotted his right-footed shot inside the left post. The goal was Wall's fourth of the season and sixth in his 71st career game.
WWU goalkeeper Charlie Dyer finished with three saves while recording his fourth clean sheet of the season.
The Vikings reached the 10-win mark for the fifth time in the last eight full seasons.
Gallery: (11-14-2024) MS | WWU 1, WOU 0
Western Washington 1, #14 Western Oregon 1
Date: November 14, 2024
Field: Harrington Field Site: Bellingham, WA
Attendance: 217
Goals by period 1 2 Tot
--------------------------------------------
#14 Western Oregon............ 0 0 - 0
Western Washington............ 0 1 - 1
SCORING SUMMARY:
1. 83:42 WWU Wall (Jonsson)
Shots: WWU 14, WOU 11
Shots on Goal: WWU 4, WOU 3
Saves: WWU 3 (Dyer – 3), WOU 3 (Schlaefli – 3)
Corners: WWU 7, WOU 6
Fouls: WOU 14, WWU 11
Offsides: WOU 5, WWU 0
Kits: WWU (Navy), WOU (White)
Updated Records: WWU (10-5-3, 8-3-1 GNAC), WOU (13-3-1, 9-2-0 GNAC)
WWU honored seven-player senior class prior to Thursday's season finale vs. Western Oregon. The Vikings senior class includes Lucas Hakamada, Kaydin Wall, Jacob Sundberg, Diego Alvarado, Andrew Rotter, Eric Bunnell and Adan Fernandez.
Here is a look at the overall records for the seven GNAC programs through Thursday's games to open the final week of conference play. Updated conference standings, schedules, results and statistics can be found online at GNACsports.com.
|
|
Team
|
Points
|
GNAC
|
Pct.
|
Overall
|
Pct.
|
Home
|
Away
|
Neutral
|
Streak
|
L10
|
|
1.
|
Western Oregon
|
27
|
9-2-0
|
.818
|
13-3-1
|
.794
|
6-1-0
|
5-2-1
|
2-0-0
|
L1
|
8-2-0
|
|
2.
|
Western Washington
|
25
|
8-3-1
|
.708
|
10-5-3
|
.639
|
7-2-1
|
3-3-1
|
0-0-1
|
W1
|
8-2-0
|
|
3.
|
Montana State Billings
|
18
|
5-3-3
|
.591
|
6-5-6
|
.529
|
3-2-2
|
2-2-4
|
1-1-0
|
L1
|
4-3-3
|
|
4.
|
Northwest Nazarene
|
15
|
4-4-3
|
.500
|
5-8-4
|
.412
|
3-3-1
|
2-4-2
|
0-1-1
|
L1
|
3-4-3
|
|
5.
|
Seattle Pacific
|
15
|
4-4-3
|
.500
|
7-6-4
|
.529
|
2-4-3
|
4-2-1
|
1-0-0
|
W1
|
3-4-3
|
|
6.
|
Simon Fraser
|
12
|
4-7-0
|
.364
|
5-10-2
|
.353
|
2-3-0
|
2-6-1
|
1-1-1
|
W2
|
4-6-0
|
|
7.
|
Saint Martin's
|
0
|
0-11-0
|
.000
|
0-17-0
|
.000
|
0-8-0
|
0-8-0
|
0-1-0
|
L17
|
0-10-0
|
|
This Week's GNAC Schedule
|
|
Thursday, November 14:
at Simon Fraser 3, Montana State Billings 0
Seattle Pacific 1, at Northwest Nazarene 0
Western Washington 1, #14 Western Oregon 0
Saturday, November 16:
Saint Martin's at Simon Fraser, 11:30 am
Western Oregon at Northwest Nazarene, 1 pm MT
Montana State Billings at Seattle Pacific, 7 pm
|
Here is a look at Western's record breakdown for the 2024 season:
|
2024 RECORD BREAKDOWN
|
|
Overall Record
|
10-5-3
|
|
Streak
|
W1
|
|
Home
|
7-2-1
|
|
Away
|
3-3-1
|
|
Neutral
|
0-0-1
|
|
GNAC Record
|
8-3-1
|
|
Non-Conference
|
2-2-2
|
|
Ranked Opponents
|
2-2-0
|
|
Scoring First
|
8-0-1
|
|
Opponent Scores First
|
2-5-1
|
|
Lead at the Half
|
4-0-1
|
|
Tied at the Half
|
5-1-2
|
|
Trail at the Half
|
1-4-0
|
|
Record by Kit
|
|
White
|
2-4-1
|
|
Navy Blue
|
6-1-1
|
|
Light Blue
|
2-0-1
|
SERIES HISTORY VS. WESTERN OREGON
WWU and WOU split the season series with each team earning a 1-0 victory on its home field. The Vikings lead the all-time series 3-2-1 in the three-year history of the series that started in 2022 when WOU started its program. WWU is undefeated vs. WOU at home going 2-0-1.
2024 WWU MEN'S SOCCER RESULTS & SCHEDULE
Here is a look at the Vikings 2024 regular-season schedule:
|
DATE
|
OPPONENT
|
LOCATION / VENUE
|
KICKOFF
|
|
Sept. 5 (Thur.)
|
Chico State (#18)
|
Bellingham, WA (Harrington Field)
|
W, 1-0
|
|
Sept. 7 (Sat.)
|
Sonoma State
|
Bellingham, WA (Harrington Field)
|
T, 1-1
|
|
Sept. 12 (Thur.)
|
Cal State LA (#3)
|
Bellingham, WA (Harrington Field)
|
L, 0-1
|
|
Sept. 14 (Sat.)
|
Cal State Dominguez Hills
|
Bellingham, WA (Harrington Field)
|
W, 2-1
|
|
Sept. 19 (Thur.)
|
@Westminster
|
Salt Lake City, UT (Dumke Field)
|
L, 0-1
|
|
Sept. 21 (Sat.)
|
vs. Regis
|
Salt Lake City, UT (Dumke Field)
|
T, 0-0
|
|
Oct. 3 (Thur.)
|
@Western Oregon (#25) GNAC
|
Monmouth, OR (WOU Turf Field)
|
L, 0-1
|
|
Oct. 5 (Sat.)
|
@Seattle Pacific GNAC
|
Seattle, WA (Interbay Stadium)
|
T, 2-2
|
|
Oct. 10 (Thur.)
|
Northwest Nazarene GNAC
|
Bellingham, WA (Harrington Field)
|
L, 1-2
|
|
Oct. 12 (Sat.)
|
@Saint Martin's GNAC
|
Lacey, WA (SMU Soccer Field)
|
W, 7-2
|
|
Oct. 19 (Sat.)
|
Montana St. Billings GNAC
|
Bellingham, WA (Harrington Field)
|
W, 2-1
|
|
Oct. 24 (Thur.)
|
Seattle Pacific GNAC
|
Bellingham, WA (Harrington Field)
|
W, 2-1
|
|
Oct. 26 (Sat.)
|
@Simon Fraser GNAC
|
Burnaby, BC (Terry Fox Field)
|
W, 3-1
|
|
Oct. 31 (Thur.)
|
@Northwest Nazarene GNAC
|
Nampa, ID (NNU Soccer Field)
|
W, 3-2
|
|
Nov. 2 (Sat.)
|
Saint Martin's GNAC
|
Bellingham, WA (Harrington Field)
|
W, 1-0
|
|
Nov. 7 (Thur.)
|
Simon Fraser GNAC
|
Bellingham, WA (Harrington Field)
|
W, 3-2
|
|
Nov. 9 (Sat.)
|
@Montana St. Billings GNAC
|
Billings, MT (Yellowjacket Soccer Field)
|
L, 0-1
|
|
Nov. 14 (Thur.)
|
Western Oregon (#14) GNAC
|
Bellingham, WA (Harrington Field)
|
W, 1-0
|
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 completed its 44th varsity season in 2023 and has recorded a season record at or above the .500 mark in 11 of the last 12 seasons. 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 63 GNAC Players of the Week selections, 30 First Team All-GNAC players and four GNAC Players of the Year since joining the conference in 2001. Off the field, WWU has built a strong academic reputation with 93 GNAC All-Academic selections over the last eight years.
