BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University women's soccer team completed an undefeated start to Opening Week of the 2024 season shutting out No. 6 nationally-ranked University of Colorado - Colorado Springs 2-0 Sunday at Harrington Field.

The Vikings improved to 1-0-1 on the season following Sunday's win over the Mountain Lions and a scoreless draw against MSU Denver Thursday. UCCS completed its tough trip to the Pacific Northwest 0-1-1 following a 1-1 draw to open the season Thursday.

Junior midfielder Morgan Manalili wasted little time giving the Vikings the early lead scoring Western's first goal of the year early in the fourth minute. Sophomore Jane Hmura intercepted the ball in the center circle and pushed it forward to a streaking Manalili. From there the junior from Shoreline did the rest of the work weaving through the UCCS defense and beat the keeper 1-on-1 on the way to her left-footed finish for the 1-0 lead less than four minutes into the contest.

The Vikings doubled their lead in the 63rd minute on a set-piece goal off a corner from junior Emily Rice, who swung a left-footed ball into the box. Sophomore center back Olivia Connel towards the goal where Lydia Myers volleyed it into the left side netting for her first goal as a Viking.

WWU held a decisive 18-7 advantage in shots and edged UCCA 6-2 in shots on goal. Senior goalkeeper Abigail Trengove made three saves in net for her second consecutive shutout to open the season.
 

The Vikings (1-0-1) take to the road for the first time in 2024 next week playing at Sonoma State on Saturday (9/14, 2 pm) and continue to Southern California taking on Azusa Pacific on September 17 (7 pm). WWU's next home game is Sunday, September 22 hosting preseason No. 19 nationally-ranked Colorado School of Mines. The complete 2024 schedule can be viewed online via wwuvikings.com/24_WSOC.

Western Washington 2, #6 UC-Colorado Springs 0

Date: September 8, 2024

Field: Harrington Field   Site: Bellingham, WA

Attendance: 268

Goals by period                 1  2    Tot

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

UC-Colo. Springs..............  0  0  -  0

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

SCORING SUMMARY:

1.       3:12     WWU     Manalili

2.      62:01     WWU     Myers (Rice, Connell)

Shots: WWU 18, UCCS 7

Shots on Goal: WWU 6, UCCS 3

Saves: WWU 3 (Trengove – 3), UCCS 4 (Malaspina - 4)

Corners: WWU 4, UCCS 1

Fouls: UCCS 12, WWU 8

Offsides: WWU 3, UCCS 0

Kits: WWU (Light Blue), UCCS (Black)

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

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 87-6-7 (.905) playing in front of the home crowd (9-1-1 in 2022, 7-1-1 in 2023, 1-0-1 in 2024). 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 134-29-22 (.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.