LACEY, Wash. – The Western Washington University women's soccer team claimed its 10th Great Northwest Athletic Conference regular season title with a 2-0 road victory over Saint Martin's University Saturday at SMU Soccer Field.
Behind a pair of goals from senior forward Kyrsten McGuffey, her second brace of the week, the Vikings extended their winning streak to eight consecutive games and remained undefeated in GNAC play at 10-0-2 (32 points) with a pair of regular-season games remaining. WWU is 11-2-4 overall on the season. This marks WWU's 10th GNAC regular-season title earning them the No. 1 seed for the postseason conference championships held November 14-16 at Interbay Stadium in Seattle. Western has won nine of the last 12 conference titles.
McGuffey recorded her second brace in as many games scoring in the 6th and 74th minute. The first half goal came when McGuffey volleyed home a long cross sent across the box by senior defender Halle Noel. It was Noel's sixth assist on the season.
The 74th minute saw junior midfielder Morgan Manalili send a ball up the right side of the field where senior forward Lydia Myers then sent to McGuffey standing at the top of the six-yard box. McGuffey guided it in with her right foot for her eighth goal of the season. McGuffey has scored five goals in the last three games.
The Viking defense recorded their fifth consecutive shutout to lower the team's season goals against average to 0.47 with 10 shutouts. Junior Asia Hardin and sophomore Oliva Connell each played the full 90 with the defense allowing just four shots (one on goal) during the 90-minute contest. Senior goalkeeper Abigail Trengove made one save to log her ninth individual shutout of the season. WWU has not allowed a goal over the last 512 minutes of play.
The Vikings clinched their 10th GNAC regular-season title with a week to go in the regular season. WWU added to titles won in 2022, 2018-19, 2012-16 and 2008. The Vikings have finished first or second in the final GNAC table in each of the last 12 seasons dating back to 2012.
The Vikings (11-2-4, 10-0-2 GNAC) close out the regular season next week on the road playing at Seattle Pacific on Thursday at Interbay Stadium (7 pm) and traveling to play Montana State Billings on Saturday (3 pm MT). The GNAC Championships open the postseason with semifinal action on Thursday, November 14. The complete 2024 schedule can be viewed online via wwuvikings.com/24_WSOC.
Western Washington 2, Saint Martin's 0
Date: November 2, 2024
Field: SMU Soccer Field Site: Lacey, WA
Attendance: 224
Goals by period 1 2 Tot
--------------------------------------------
Western Washington............ 1 1 - 2
Saint Martin's................ 0 0 - 0
SCORING SUMMARY:
1. 5:47 WWU McGuffey (Noel)
2. 73:46 WWU McGuffey (Myers, Manalili)
Shots: WWU 16, SMU 4
Shots on Goal: WWU 7, SMU 1
Saves: WWU 1 (Trengove – 1), SMU 5 (Burrell – 5)
Corners: WWU 8, SMU 0
Fouls: WWU 13, SMU 11
Offsides: WWU 1, SMU 1
Kits: WWU (Navy), SMU (White)
Updated Records: WWU (11-2-4, 10-0-2 GNAC), SMU (2-12-3, 2-7-3 GNAC)
Here is a look at Western's record breakdown for the 2024 season:
|
2024 RECORD BREAKDOWN
|
|
Overall Record
|
11-2-4
|
|
Streak
|
W8
|
|
Home
|
6-1-3
|
|
Away
|
5-1-1
|
|
Neutral
|
0-0-0
|
|
GNAC Record
|
10-0-2
|
|
Non-Conference
|
1-2-2
|
|
Ranked Opponents
|
1-1-0
|
|
Scoring First
|
11-0-1
|
|
Opponent Scores First
|
0-2-2
|
|
Lead at the Half
|
8-0-1
|
|
Tied at the Half
|
3-1-2
|
|
Trail at the Half
|
0-1-1
|
|
Record by Kit
|
|
White
|
1-0-0
|
|
Navy Blue
|
3-1-0
|
|
Light Blue
|
6-1-1
|
|
Black
|
1-0-3
|
GNAC STANDINGS & SCHEDULE
Here is an updated look at the GNAC standings and weekly schedule following Saturday's games to complete the penultimate week of conference play. WWU has secured its 10th regular-season title with 32 points, and Seattle Pacific and Simon Fraser have also qualified for the GNAC Championships. Updated conference standings, schedules, results and statistics can be found online at GNACsports.com.
|
|
School
|
Points
|
GNAC
|
Pct.
|
Overall
|
Pct.
|
Home
|
Away
|
Neutral
|
Streak
|
Last 10
|
|
1.
|
Western Washington*$
|
32
|
10-0-2
|
.917
|
11-2-4
|
.765
|
6-1-3
|
5-1-1
|
0-0
|
W8
|
9-0-1
|
|
2.
|
Seattle Pacific*
|
25
|
7-1-4
|
.750
|
9-2-5
|
.719
|
4-2-2
|
4-0-3
|
1-0
|
W2
|
6-1-3
|
|
3.
|
Simon Fraser*
|
23
|
7-3-2
|
.667
|
11-3-2
|
.750
|
7-1-0
|
4-2-2
|
0-0
|
W1
|
6-2-2
|
|
4.
|
Western Oregon
|
17
|
4-3-5
|
.542
|
4-5-8
|
.471
|
2-2-3
|
2-3-5
|
0-0
|
L2
|
2-3-5
|
|
5.
|
Montana State Billings
|
13
|
3-5-4
|
.417
|
6-6-4
|
.500
|
4-1-2
|
2-5-2
|
0-0
|
T1
|
3-3-4
|
|
6.
|
Northwest Nazarene
|
9
|
3-9-0
|
.250
|
3-13-0
|
.188
|
1-9-0
|
2-4-0
|
0-0
|
L4
|
2-8-0
|
|
|
Saint Martin's
|
9
|
2-7-3
|
.292
|
2-12-3
|
.206
|
0-6-3
|
2-6-0
|
0-0
|
L1
|
1-6-3
|
|
8.
|
Central Washington
|
4
|
0-8-4
|
.167
|
1-9-5
|
.233
|
0-4-4
|
1-5-1
|
0-0
|
T1
|
0-6-4
|
|
* Qualified for GNAC Championships $ GNAC Regular Season Champion
|
|
This Week's GNAC Schedule
|
|
Thursday, October 31:
Simon Fraser 3, at Saint Martin's 3
Western Washington 2, at Western Oregon 0
Montana State Billings 3, at Northwest Nazarene 1
Seattle Pacific 2, at Central Washington 1
Saturday, November 2:
Simon Fraser 1, at Western Oregon 0
Montana State Billings 1, at Central Washington 1
Seattle Pacific 3, at Northwest Nazarene 1
Western Washington 2, at Saint Martin's 0
|
The Vikings extended their winning streak to eight consecutive games and unbeaten streak to 12 in a row with Saturday's shutout victory at Saint Martin's. Here is a look at the longest winning and unbeaten streaks in program history:
|
WINNING STREAKS
|
UNBEATEN STREAKS
|
|
1.
|
39
|
2016-17
|
1.
|
40 (39-0-1)
|
2016-17
|
|
2.
|
38
|
1982-84
|
2.
|
38 (38-0-0)
|
1982-84
|
|
3.
|
19
|
2019
|
3.
|
20 (19-0-1)
|
2015
|
|
4.
|
14
|
2015
|
|
20 (16-0-4)
|
2014
|
|
5.
|
12
|
2013
|
5.
|
19 (19-0-0)
|
2019
|
|
6.
|
10
|
2012
|
6.
|
16 (14-0-2)
|
2008
|
|
7.
|
9
|
2022-23
|
7.
|
14 (11-0-3)
|
2009-10
|
|
8.
|
8
|
2024
|
8.
|
13 (10-0-3)
|
2022
|
|
|
8
|
1979
|
|
13 (12-0-1)
|
2018
|
|
10.
|
7
|
2018
|
10.
|
12 (10-0-2)
|
2024
|
|
|
7
|
2008
|
|
12 (12-0-0)
|
2013
|
|
12.
|
6
|
2022
|
12.
|
11 (10-0-1)
|
1979
|
|
|
6
|
1988
|
|
11 (9-0-2)
|
2020-21
|
|
14.
|
5
|
2015
|
14.
|
10 (10-0-0)
|
2012
|
|
|
5
|
2010
|
15.
|
9 (9-0-0)
|
2022-23
|
|
|
|
|
|
9 (8-0-1)
|
2013
|
SERIES HISTORY VS. SAINT MARTIN'S
WWU swept the season series over the Saints also winning 1-0 on October 3 in Bellingham. The Vikings lead the all-time series 29-2-2 with the first game played in 2007. Western has a 25-game unbeaten streak vs. SMU (since 2011) going 24-0-1 during this stretch.
Through the first six weeks of conference play, the Vikings are undefeated with an 10-0-2 record, placing them 1st in the GNAC table with 32 points, clinching the 2024 regular-season title. WWU will be the No. 1 seed in the GNAC Championships held November 14-16 at Interbay Stadium in Seattle.
2024 WWU WOMEN'S SOCCER RESULTS & SCHEDULE
Here is a look at the Vikings 2024 regular-season schedule. The GNAC Championships will be held November 14-16 at Interbay Stadium in Seattle, and the NCAA Division II Championships open with the first and second rounds November 21-24:
|
DATE
|
OPPONENT
|
LOCATION / VENUE
|
KICKOFF
|
|
Sept. 5 (Thur.)
|
MSU Denver
|
Bellingham, WA (Harrington Field)
|
T, 0-0
|
|
Sept. 8 (Sun.)
|
UC-Colo. Springs (#6)
|
Bellingham, WA (Harrington Field)
|
W, 2-0
|
|
Sept. 14 (Sat.)
|
@Sonoma State
|
Rohnert Park, CA (Seawolf Soccer Field)
|
T, 1-1
|
|
Sept. 17 (Tue.)
|
@Azusa Pacific
|
Azusa, CA (Cougar Soccer Complex)
|
L, 0-1
|
|
Sept. 22 (Sun.)
|
Colorado School of Mines (#3)
|
Bellingham, WA (Harrington Field)
|
L, 0-2
|
|
Sept. 26 (Thur.)
|
@Simon Fraser GNAC
|
Burnaby, BC (Terry Fox Field)
|
W, 1-0
|
|
Sept. 28 (Sat.)
|
Seattle Pacific GNAC
|
Bellingham, WA (Harrington Field)
|
T, 1-1
|
|
Oct. 3 (Thur.)
|
Saint Martin's GNAC
|
Bellingham, WA (Harrington Field)
|
W, 1-0
|
|
Oct. 5 (Sat.)
|
Western Oregon GNAC
|
Bellingham, WA (Harrington Field)
|
T, 1-1
|
|
Oct. 10 (Thur.)
|
@Central Washington GNAC
|
Ellensburg, WA (Tomlinson Stadium)
|
W, 7-1
|
|
Oct. 12 (Sat.)
|
@Northwest Nazarene GNAC
|
Nampa, ID (NNU Soccer Field)
|
W, 2-0
|
|
Oct. 17 (Thur.)
|
Montana State Billings GNAC
|
Bellingham, WA (Harrington Field)
|
W, 2-1
|
|
Oct. 19 (Sat.)
|
Simon Fraser GNAC
|
Bellingham, WA (Harrington Field)
|
W, 1-0
|
|
Oct. 24 (Thur.)
|
Northwest Nazarene GNAC
|
Bellingham, WA (Harrington Field)
|
W, 2-0
|
|
Oct. 26 (Sat.)
|
Central Washington GNAC
|
Bellingham, WA (Harrington Field)
|
W, 4-0
|
|
Oct. 31 (Thur.)
|
@Western Oregon GNAC
|
Monmouth, OR (WOU Soccer Field)
|
W, 2-0
|
|
Nov. 2 (Sat.)
|
@Saint Martin's GNAC
|
Lacey, WA (SMU Soccer Field)
|
W, 2-0
|
|
Nov. 7 (Thur.)
|
@Seattle Pacific GNAC
|
Seattle, WA (Interbay Stadium)
|
7:00 pm
|
|
Nov. 9 (Sat.)
|
@Montana State Billings GNAC
|
Billings, MT (Yellowjacket Soccer Field)
|
3:00 pm MT
|
Fans can follow WWU women's soccer online at WWUVikings.com/WSOC, and via social media on Twitter/X (@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, appearing in the NCAA Championships in 10 of the last 11 seasons and winning a pair of national championships in 2016 and 2022. WWU has advanced to the NCAA II Final Four in five of the last 10 seasons and played for the West Region championship in nine of the last 11 seasons (seven consecutive from 2015-22). The Vikings won the 2022 NCAA Division II National Championship with a 2-1 win over No. 1 nationally-ranked West Chester, 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. The program has claimed nine of the last 13 Great Northwest Athletic Conference regular-season titles (2024 Champions) and won five of the last eight GNAC Tournament titles (2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022). Head coach Travis Connell is in his 22nd season leading the program in 2024 (29th overall at WWU) and has led the Vikings to 12 trips to the NCAA Championships and 19 consecutive winning seasons.
