LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The Western Washington University men's soccer team gave No. 2 nationally ranked Cal State LA a major test Saturday before falling 1-0 in a non-conference game at University Stadium surrounded by Jesse Owens Track.

The Vikings controlled the tempo for a majority of the match with a pair of great scoring chances early in the first half.

Freshman winger Jose Perez crossed a ball into the box that senior forward Frank Miedema connected on a header that skimmed over the top of the crossbar in the 15th minute. Just over six minutes later senior winger Albin Jonsson got on the end of another cross by Perez, but the shot was snuffed out by LA goalkeeper Brayden McClelland.

Scoreless at the half and through the first 17 minutes of the second half, the Golden Eagles put the game-winning goal on the scoreboard. Cal State LA didn't have a shot on goal until the 62nd minute when the Golden Eagles took advantage of a miscue when a long bass bounced over goalkeeper Quinn Sappington and Jeancarlo Alvarez capitalized with an empty-net goal.

WWU had a good look at an equalizer earning a free kick just outside the 18-yard box in the 79th minute when senior defender Joar Tidblom wrapped his shot around the wall just missing to the right of the post.

The Vikings held a 12-9 advantage in total shots and 5-2 in shots on goal.

Western finished its four-game road trip to California to open the season 0-3-1, earning a tie vs. Chico State (1-1) and has endured three consecutive losses against Stanislaus State (4-1), Cal State Dominguez Hills (2-1) and Cal State LA (1-0).

Cal State LA rebounded from Thursday's scoreless draw vs. Seattle Pacific to improve to 3-0-1 on the season.

The Vikings (0-3-1) make their home debut Thursday, September 18 hosting Regis University at 4 pm at Harrington Field opening a five-game homestand. The complete 2025 schedule can be viewed online via wwuvikings.com/25_MSOC.

#2 Cal State LA 1, Western Washington 0

Date: September 13, 2025

Field: University Stadium   Site: Los Angeles, CA

Attendance: 110

Goals by period                 1  2    Tot

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

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

#2 Cal State LA...............  0  1  -  1

SCORING SUMMARY:

1.    61:21     CSLA       Alvarez

Shots: WWU 12, CSLA 9

Shots on Goal: WWU 5, CSLA 2

Saves: WWU 1 (Sappington - 1), CSLA 5 (McClelland – 5)

Corners: CSLA 6, WWU 5

Fouls: CSLA 9, WWU 8

Offsides: WWU 4, CSLA 1

Kits: WWU (Navy), CSLA (White)

Updated Records: WWU (0-3-1), CSLA (3-0-1)

Here is a look at Western's record breakdown for the 2025 season:

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 45th varsity season in 2024 and has recorded a season record at or above the .500 mark in 12 of the last 13 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.