BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University men's soccer team received a goal in each half and gave a solid defensive effort to defeat Cal State Dominguez Hills 2-1 Saturday evening at Harrington Field.

 

The Vikings improved to 2-1-1 on the season closing out a tough four-game homestand to open the season against top regional competition. The Vikings faced a pair of ranked opponents during this stretch and concluded the week 1-1-0 after a tough 1-0 loss Thursday against No. 3 Cal State LA.

 

WWU opened the scoring in the 24th minute to go up 1-0 over the Toros. Senior defender Jacob Sundberg played the ball in from the endline finding senior midfielder Lucas Hakamada near the top of the box. Hakamada laid the ball off to freshman midfielder Reiley Buri-Brown who unleashed a left-footed shot from 24-yards out that caromed off the cross bar. Senior forward Eric Bunnell corralled the rebound and got a quick shot off finding the back of the net at the 23:53 mark to put the Vikings up by a goal.

 

Western added an insurance goal in the 60th minute on another rebound shot off the crossbar, this time with junior winger Albin Jonsson finding the back of the net for his first goal of the season and 15th of his career. Junior defender Joar Tidblom headed the ball into the middle of the 6-yard box where Bunnell got a clean shot that was saved by the CSUDH goalkeeper off the crossbar, with Jonsson collecting the rebound and positioning his shot in the lower right corner.

 

The Toros (2-2-0) climbed back into the game and kept pressure on the Vikings defense the final 25 minutes of the game. Mike McKibbin found the back of the net in the 64th minute for his fourth goal of the young season to cut the CSUDH deficit in half. 

 

But the Vikings defense held the remainder of the way for the one-goal victory. Sophomore goalkeeper Charlie Dyer made four saves and defenders Tidblom and sophomore Sebastiano Silvetti were key contributors on the back line.

 

Bunnell finished with a goal and an assist and Jonsson netted his 15th career goal and seventh game-winning goal. The Sweden native is now tied for 15th in program history in total goals and tied for 4th in game-winning goals. 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
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The Vikings (2-1-1) hits the road for the first time this season next week rounding out the non-conference schedule with a pair of games in Salt Lake City, Utah against Westminster (Thursday, 7 pm MT) and Regis (Saturday, 11 am MT). The complete 2024 schedule can be viewed online via wwuvikings.com/24_MSOC.

 

Western Washington 2, Cal State Dominguez Hills 1

Date: September 14, 2024

Field: Harrington Field   Site: Bellingham, WA

Attendance: 225

 

Goals by period                 1  2    Tot

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

Cal St. Dom. Hills............  0  1  -  1

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

 

SCORING SUMMARY:

1.      23:53      WWU     Bunnell (Buri-Brown)

2.      59:06      WWU     Jonsson (Bunnell, Tidblom)

3.      63:07      CSUDH   McKibbin (Brummer)

 

Shots: WWU 12, CSUDH 11

Shots on Goal: WWU 6, CSUDH 5

Saves: WWU 4 (Dyer – 4), CSUDH 3 (Magano – 3)

Corners: CSUDH 5, WWU 2

Fouls: CSUDH 17, WWU 13

Offsides: CSUDH 3, WWU 1

Kits: WWU (Navy), CSUDH (White)

Updated Records: WWU (2-1-1), CSUDH (2-2-0)

 

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

 

 

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 82 GNAC All-Academic selections over the last seven years.