NAMPA, Idaho – The Western Washington University women's soccer team opened GNAC play Thursday with a 5-0 shutout victory on the road over Northwest Nazarene University at NNU Soccer Field.
The Vikings extended their winning streak to three consecutive games, improving to 3-1-2 on the season, and are undefeated in their last 16 GNAC contests dating back to the 2023 season. The defending conference champions were picked first in the preseason coaches poll.
WWU received a brace from senior midfielder Morgan Manalili, giving her a GNAC leading six goals on the season. Junior midfielder Reese Walker opened the scoring in the 8th minute and junior midfielder Mie Cairns headed home the second goal off an Emily Rice corner in the 29th minute.
Leading 3-0 at the half, Manalili recorded her brace with a left-footed strike from 25-yards out to give her five goals over the last three games. Senior midfielder Abby Succi scored the final goal in the 87th minute for her first career goal.
"I was very impressed by our mentality tonight to open conference play," said WWU head coach Travis Connell. "We were relentless in our effort and concentration."
The Vikings held a decisive 16-8 advantage in total shots and 10-1 in shots on goal. Sophomore Emily Holdridge had three shots on goal, while Manalili and Walker each had two.
Idaho native Ellie McGowan made her second career start and logged 71 scoreless minutes making one save.
NNU dropped to 1-4-0 on the season and 0-1-0 in GNAC play. WWU improved to 43-2-3 all-time vs. NNU.
The Vikings (3-1-2) remain on the road to cap the opening week of GNAC play taking on Central Washington University on Saturday at 11 am at the CWU Soccer Field in Ellensburg. The complete 2025 schedule can be viewed online via wwuvikings.com/25_WSOC.
Western Washington 5, Northwest Nazarene 0
Date: September 25, 2025
Field: NNU Soccer Field Site: Nampa, ID
Attendance: 527
Goals by period 1 2 Tot
--------------------------------------------
Western Washington............ 3 2 - 5
Northwest Nazarene............ 0 0 - 0
SCORING SUMMARY:
1. 7:05 WWU Walker (Potter)
2. 28:03 WWU Cairns (Rice)
3. 34:20 WWU Manalili
4. 55:01 WWU Manalili
5. 86:02 WWU Succi
Shots: WWU 16, NNU 8
Shots on Goal: WWU 10, NNU 1
Saves: WWU 1 (McGowan – 1, Courtney - 0), NNU 5 (Barrass – 4, Barker - 1)
Corners: WWU 6, NNU 3
Fouls: WWU 11, NNU 6
Offsides: WWU 0, NNU 0
Kits: WWU (Light Blue), NNU (White)
Updated Records: WWU (3-1-2, 1-0-0), NNU (1-4-0, 0-1-0)
Here is a look at Western's record breakdown for the 2025 season:
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2025 RECORD BREAKDOWN
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|
Overall Record
|
3-1-2
|
|
Streak
|
W3
|
|
Home
|
2-0-0
|
|
Away
|
1-1-2
|
|
Neutral
|
0-0-0
|
|
GNAC Record
|
1-0-0
|
|
Non-Conference
|
2-1-2
|
|
Ranked Opponents
|
0-1-0
|
|
Scoring First
|
3-1-0
|
|
Opponent Scores First
|
0-0-2
|
|
Lead at the Half
|
3-0-0
|
|
Tied at the Half
|
0-1-1
|
|
Trail at the Half
|
0-0-1
|
|
Record by Kit
|
|
White
|
0-0-0
|
|
Navy Blue
|
0-0-0
|
|
Light Blue
|
2-1-0
|
|
Black
|
1-0-2
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GNAC STANDINGS & SCHEDULE
Here is a look at the GNAC Women's Soccer standings following the opening day of conference play. WWU won its 10th regular-season title in 2024 going undefeated at 11-0-3 in GNAC play. The top four teams in the conference standings at the end of the regular season will qualify for the GNAC Championships held November 13-15 in Burnaby, BC hosted by Simon Fraser University. Updated conference standings, schedules, results and statistics can be found online at GNACsports.com.
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|
School
|
Points
|
GNAC
|
Pct.
|
Overall
|
Pct.
|
Home
|
Away
|
Neutral
|
Streak
|
Last 10
|
|
1.
|
Western Washington
|
3
|
1-0
|
1.000
|
3-1-2
|
.667
|
2-0
|
1-1-2
|
0-0
|
W3
|
3-1-2
|
|
|
Simon Fraser
|
3
|
1-0
|
1.000
|
4-0-1
|
.900
|
0-0
|
4-0-1
|
0-0
|
W4
|
4-0-1
|
|
|
Western Oregon
|
3
|
1-0
|
1.000
|
4-1-1
|
.750
|
2-1
|
2-0-1
|
0-0
|
W3
|
4-1-1
|
|
|
Seattle Pacific
|
3
|
1-0
|
1.000
|
3-1-2
|
.667
|
3-0-1
|
0-1-1
|
0-0
|
W1
|
3-1-2
|
|
5.
|
Central Washington
|
0
|
0-1
|
.000
|
2-1-1
|
.625
|
1-1
|
0-0
|
1-0-1
|
L1
|
2-1-1
|
|
|
Montana State Billings
|
0
|
0-1
|
.000
|
1-4
|
.200
|
1-1
|
0-3
|
0-0
|
L2
|
1-4
|
|
|
Northwest Nazarene
|
0
|
0-1
|
.000
|
1-4
|
.200
|
0-1
|
0-3
|
1-0
|
L2
|
1-4
|
|
|
Saint Martin's
|
0
|
0-1
|
.000
|
1-4
|
.200
|
0-0
|
1-4
|
0-0
|
L3
|
1-4
|
|
This Week's GNAC Schedule
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|
Thursday, September 25:
Western Oregon 2, at Montana State Billings 0
Simon Fraser 1, at Central Washington 0
at Seattle Pacific 4, Saint Martin's 1
Western Washington 5, at Northwest Nazarene 0
Saturday, September 27:
Western Washington at Central Washington, 11:00 am
Simon Fraser at Northwest Nazarene, 12:30 pm MT
Saint Martin's at Montana State Billings, 1:00 pm MT
Seattle Pacific at Western Oregon, 6:00 pm
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The Western Washington University women's soccer program has risen to the top of the Division II ranks, appearing in the NCAA Championships in 11 of the last 12 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 11 seasons and played for the West Region championship in nine of the last 12 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 nine of the last 13 Great Northwest Athletic Conference regular-season titles (2024 Champions) and won five of the last eight GNAC Tournament titles (2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022). Head coach Travis Connell is in his 23rd season leading the program in 2025 (30th overall at WWU) and has led the Vikings to 12 trips to the NCAA Championships and 19 consecutive winning seasons.
