BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University men's soccer team scored a pair of unanswered second-half goals to record a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Simon Fraser University Thursday evening at Harrington Field.

 

The comeback victory stretched the Vikings winning streak to seven consecutive games to tie for the fifth-longest winning streak in program history. WWU is 7-2-1 in GNAC play (22 points) to sit alone in second place in the table. The victory moved Western to 9-4-3 overall, 6-2-1 at Harrington Field and completed the first season sweep over SFU since the Red Leafs joined the conference in 2010.

 

"Another gritty performance tonight from my team tonight," said WWU head coach Greg Brisbon. "I am very impressed they didn't panic as the score line was not in our favor at times and kept to the game plan. We had more moments of what we want to do on both sides of the ball and got three great goals tonight. We have created a belief and momentum to finish out this difficult conference schedule."

 

Trailing 2-1 through the first 68 minutes of action, the Vikings offense started to click with a pair of goals just over six minutes apart to fuel the comeback. The game-winning goal came on a 75th-minute strike by senior midfielder Kaydin Wall.

 

Simon Fraser got on the board first in the 11th minute on a goal by Justin George. Midfielder Koji Poon filtered a pass towards the top of the box where George took one touch and delivered a well-placed shot into the upper left corner for his first goal of the season.

 

The Vikings found the equalizer in the 25th minute to tie the game 1-1. WWU won a corner off a deflected shot by Eric Bunnell setting up a corner kick. Wall lifted his corner across the box where Edgar Serrano snuck in front of a defender and headed the ball back across the box into the back of the net.

 

SFU went back ahead with an early second half goal at the 55:42 mark. Michael Hennessy got his right foot on a loose ball inside the 6-yard box following a saved shot.

 

The back-and-forth game continued with the Vikings scoring another equalizer at the 68-minute mark. The Vikings intercepted a pass near midfield and Bunnell found Andrew Rotter streaking through the middle of the box. Rotter took a touch and calmly slotted his shot inside the near post for his fourth goal of the season.

 

Wall put the Vikings ahead in the 75th minute taking a cutback feed from Albin Jonsson and firing a right-footed shot from inside the "D" into the right corner for his third goal of the season.

 

WWU held a decisive 30-6 advantage in total shots and 11-5 in shots on goal.

 

SFU (3-10-2, 2-7-0 GNAC) received eight saves from goalkeeper Maddox Colligan.

 

The Vikings (9-4-3, 7-2-1 GNAC) return to the road Saturday traveling to play Montana State Billings in a 6 pm MT/5 pm PT match to complete the penultimate week of the regular season. The complete 2024 schedule can be viewed online via wwuvikings.com/24_MSOC.

 

Western Washington 3, Simon Fraser 2

Date: November 7, 2024

Field: Harrington Field   Site: Bellingham, WA

Attendance: 177

 

Goals by period                 1  2    Tot

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

Simon Fraser..................  1  1  -  2

Western Washington............  1  2  -  3

 

SCORING SUMMARY:

1.       10:33     SFU       George (Poon)

2.       24:47     WWU       Serrano (Wall)

3.       55:42     SFU       Hennessy (Poon)

4.       68:00     WWU       Rotter (Bunnell)

5.       74:25     WWU       Wall (Jonsson)

 

Shots: WWU 30, SFU 6

Shots on Goal: WWU 11, SFU 5

Saves: WWU 3 (Dyer - 3), SFU 8 (Colligan – 8)

Corners: WWU 7, SFU 2

Fouls: SFU 12, WWU 9

Offsides: WWU 4, SFU 0

Kits: WWU (Light Blue), SFU (Red)

Updated Records: WWU (9-4-3, 7-2-1 GNAC), SFU (3-10-2, 2-7-0 GNAC)

 

Here is a look at the overall records for the seven GNAC programs through Thursday's games to open the sixth week of conference play. Updated conference standings, schedules, results and statistics can be found online at GNACsports.com.

 

 

WWU extended its winning streak to seven consecutive games, stretching back to the 7-2 win at Saint Martin's on October 12. The current winning streak is tied for 5th-longest in program history:

 

 

Here is a look at Western's record breakdown for the 2024 season:

 

 

Recorded the season sweep over SFU adding Thursday's 3-2 victory to a 3-1 road win on October 26 on Burnaby Mountain. WWU is 7-4-0 over the last 11 meetings vs. the Red Leafs and WWU has a four-game winning streak vs. SFU at Harrington Field. Marked the first season sweep over SFU since the Red Leafs joined the GNAC in 2010 and the first three-game winning streak vs. SFU a five-game winning streak from 1989-91. SFU leads the all-time series 42-23-8.

 

Here is a look at the Vikings 2024 regular-season schedule:

 

 

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.