BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University men's soccer team completed an undefeated opening week of the 2024 season battling Sonoma State University to a 1-1 tie Saturday afternoon in a non-conference match-up at Harrington Field.

The Vikings (1-0-1) defeated No. 18 Chico State to open the campaign Thursday and held a 1-0 lead until late in Saturday's hard-fought contest. 

WWU got on the board late in the first half when senior co-captain Lucas Hakamada headed home a goal with just over one minute remaining on the clock. Senior midfielder Kaydin Wall started the sequence with a short free kick to freshman midfielder Reiley Buri-Brown, who sent a left-footed cross into the box with junior defender Joar Tidblom and Hakamada streaking toward the left post. Hakamada got a clean strike on the header sending the ball into the right lower corner of the net. 

Sonoma State pressured Western throughout the second half with 12 shots (4 on goal) in the final 45 minutes. The Seawolves equalized in the 82nd minute when Jose Rios Lara drew a foul in the box by Tidblom and converted from the spot with a well-placed penalty shot to the lower right corner of the goal.

The Vikings had a few scoring opportunities with the clock winding down, including a header by senior Eric Bunnell at the 86:41 mark that SSU goalkeeper Jack Chapman made a game-saving reaction on the close-quarters shot to keep the game level.

Sonoma State held a 14-11 advantage in shots, with a 12-4 edge in the second half, and both teams had six shots on goal.

Dyer made five saves while playing all 90 minutes in goal for the Vikings and combined to make nine saves in his first two starts for WWU after transferring from San Jose State.
 

The Vikings (1-0-1) remain at home next week completing their four-game season-opening homestand facing another tough set of opponents with No. 5 Cal State LA (Thursday, 7 pm) and Cal State Dominguez Hills (Saturday, 7 pm) visiting Harrington Field. The complete 2024 schedule can be viewed online via wwuvikings.com/24_MSOC.

Western Washington 1, Sonoma State 1

Date: September 7, 2024

Field: Harrington Field   Site: Bellingham, WA

Attendance: 103

Goals by period                 1  2    Tot

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Sonoma State..................  0  1  -  1

Western Washington............  1  0  -  1

SCORING SUMMARY:

1.      43:51     WWU     Hakamada (Buri-Brown)

2.      81:40     SSU     Rios Lara (PK)

Shots: SSU 14, WWU 11

Shots on Goal: WWU 6, SSU 6

Saves: WWU 5 (Dyer – 5), SSU 5 (Chapman – 4, Team - 1)

Corners: WWU 5, SSU 2

Fouls: SSU 16, WWU 12

Offsides: WWU 7, SSU 1

Kits: WWU (White), SSU (Blue)

Updated Records: WWU (1-0-1), SSU (0-1-1)

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.