Women's Soccer | 10/27/2008 12:42:56 AM
This week:
The Western Oregon University women's soccer team (7-7-2, 3-3-2 GNAC) will host Saint Martin's in its final home match of the season Wednesday, Oct. 29, at 3:00 p.m. The Wolves will then hit the road to take on Central Washington as it closes out Great Northwest Athletic Conference play with three away matches.
A look at Saint Martin's:
Last week, Saint Martin's fell to sixth place in the GNAC as it split its two conference matches. Thursday, it shutout Northwest Nazarene 4-0, but then fell in overtime to Montana State Billings Saturday, 2-1. The Saints are now 5-10-1 on the season and 3-6-1 in the GNAC. SMU also fell to 1-5-1 in their last seven home matches with its only win coming against NNU.
Forward Jill Jensen is the conference's leading scorer with 31 points as she has recorded 12 goals and seven assists during her sophomore season. She is also third in shots (3.75), tied for second in assists (0.44) and in first in goals per match (0.75). Freshman Ashley Engel has started 14-of-15 matches in net for the Saints and leads the GNAC with 5.87 saves per match. She has made 88 saves and allowed 26 goals for a .772 save percentage and a 1.79 goals against average.
Western Oregon is 1-0-2 in its previous matches with Saint Martin's as all three have gone to double overtime. Earlier this season, the two teams battled to a 1-1 tie in Monmouth. The Wolves led for much of the match before SMU tied it in the 86th minute to force the match to overtime.
A look at Central Washington:
The Central Washington Wildcats are 7-6-3 this season and stand in third place in the GNAC with a 4-5-1 record (13 points). Last week, the Wildcats lost its only match as it fell at home to Seattle Pacific 2-0.
The Wildcats feature a tremendous goalkeeper in Amber Easterbrook. She leads the conference in shutouts (seven), shutout percentage (0.44), saves per match (5.12) and is third in save percentage (.837) and goals against average (0.73). CWU has received a balanced offensive attack as four student-athletes have scored a team-leading three goals. Kaycie Hutchins leads the team in points with 11 (three goals, five assists).
Western Oregon leads the all-time series 11-6-4. WOU carries a seven-match unbeaten streak into the contest as the Wolves have not lost to the Wildcats since 2004 (four wins, three ties). In the last 15 matches between the two schools, Western Oregon is 11-1-3. The match earlier this season in Monmouth ended in a 1-1 tie.
Last week:
The Wolves moved into fifth place in the GNAC as it earned consecutive shutouts over Montana State Billings and Northwest Nazarene. Western Oregon currently stands in fifth place with 11 points but only trails third-place Central Washington by two points as the third through the sixth place teams in the conference are all within four points.
Western Oregon blanked Montana State Billings 3-0 Thursday, as it received goals from Sam Slezak, Brenna Lander and Melinda Ingalls. Kelsie Blachly anchored the Wolves' defense with seven saves for her first shutout of the season as she played all 90 minutes in net. WOU kept the pressure on Montana State Billings' defense all day as it outshot the Yellowjackets 16-8.
WOU evened its season record at 7-7-2 and its GNAC record at 3-3-2 as it shutout Northwest Nazarene 3-0 Saturday. Kristen Werhane scored a goal and had two assist in the victory. Senior Maggie Kuzmer got the scoring started for the Wolves in the 21st minute with her first goal of the season. Slezak would add another seven minutes later, her second goal in as many contests, to put Western Oregon up 2-0 going into the half. WOU would get another score in the second half on a double-assist from Lander and Ingalls to the senior Werhane for the goal. Blachly and Brittney Rigtrup combined on the shutout, the first consecutive shutouts for the Wolves since early in the 2006 season.
The seniors
This will be the final home match for seniors Bryndle Rueck, Maggie Kuzmer, Kristen Werhane, Stephani Catt and Emily Ingalls.
