BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University women's soccer team opened the 2024 season with a scoreless draw against MSU Denver Thursday evening at Harrington Field.

 

The Vikings held a 15-4 advantage in shots, but were limited to just five shots on goal, none of which found the back of the net in the opening game of the season for both teams.

 

WWU had a few scoring opportunities late in the second half, with junior midfielder Claire Potter putting a strong shot just over the crossbar late in the 82nd minute.

 

MSU Denver had just one shot on goal in the 90-minute contest and it took a great save by WWU senior goalkeeper Abigail Trengove to keep the game scoreless. Elly Peterson got a shot off following a free kick that Trengove made a diving stop to her right.

 

Defenders Asia Hardin and Halle Noel – WWU's co-captains – both logged 90 minutes on the back line to help the Vikings to the shutout performance. Sophomore midfielder Jane Hmura also played all 90 minutes for the Vikings.

 

MSUD goalkeeper Kylie Bach played the entire game between the pipes for the Roadrunners while making five saves.

 

The Vikings continue their opening-week schedule hosting No. 6 nationally-ranked Colorado-Colorado Springs (0-0-1) Sunday with kickoff scheduled for 1 pm at Harrington Field. The complete 2024 schedule can be viewed online via wwuvikings.com/24_WSOC.

 

Western Washington 0, MSU Denver 0

2024 Season Opener

Date: September 5, 2024

Field: Harrington Field   Site: Bellingham, WA

Attendance: 165

 

Goals by period                 1  2    Tot

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

MSU Denver....................  0  0  -  0

Western Washington............  0  0  -  0

 

Shots: WWU 15, MSUD 4

Shots on Goal: WWU 5, MSUD 1

Saves: WWU 1 (Trengove – 1), MSUD 5 (Bach - 5)

Corners: WWU 3, MSUD 3

Fouls: MSUD 15, WWU 7

Offsides: MSUD 2, WWU 1

Kits: WWU (Black), MSUD (White)

 

The Vikings are now 24-15-6 all-time in the first game of the season, with a current unbeaten streak of 12 consecutive seasons with an opening day victory or tie. Since 2013, WWU is 9-0-3 in lid lifters including a 2-0 victory last season at Biola and Thursday's 0-0 tie vs. MSU Denver.

 

WWU is now 4-1-2 all-time vs. MSU Denver with a five-game unbeaten streak dating back to the 2016 season. Thursday marked the first meeting between the Vikings and Roadrunners since 2019 and first game in the series in Bellingham since 2018.

 

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

 

 

Since Harrington Field debuted on the south edge of the WWU campus in 2014, the Vikings are 86-6-7 (.904) playing in front of the home crowd (9-1-1 in 2022, 7-1-1 in 2023). The Vikings are 13-2-0 at Harrington Field in postseason play, hosting NCAA games in 2014 (0-1-0), 2015 (3-0-0), 2016 (1-0-0), 2017 (1-0-0), 2019 (2-0-0), 2021 (1-0-0) and 2022 (3-0-0), and GNAC Championships games in 2016 (1-0-0) and 2021 (1-1-0). Including the men's program, WWU Soccer has a combined record of 133-29-21 (.784) at Harrington Field.

 

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 eight of the last 12 Great Northwest Athletic Conference regular-season titles (2022 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.