Women's Soccer | 9/7/2009 1:19:34 PM

This week:
The Western Oregon University women's soccer team is in the mist of a five match road trip as it faces Willamette and Western Washington. The match against Willamette on Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 7:00 p.m., will be the third consecutive match away from WOU Soccer Field for the Wolves. WOU will then kickoff Great Northwest Athletic Conference play Friday, Sept. 11 as it faces Western Washington at 1:00 p.m.

Time changed in local rivalry:
The match between Western Oregon and Willamette on Wednesday, Sept. 9 was moved back three hours to 7:00 p.m., and will now be played under the lights at Sparks Field.

The Wolves:
Western Oregon is 1-2-1 this season after playing three road matches and one at home. WOU loaded up its pre-conference schedule as it took on three teams from the California Collegiate Athletic Association on the road. In the last meeting, Western Oregon battled San Francisco State, the No. 8 ranked team in the NSCAA west region, to a 1-1 standoff. (More on this match below)

The Wolves have made the most of their scoring opportunities this season as they have converted 8-of-34 shot attempts for a .235 shot percentage. It has also limited its opponents' clean looks at the net as WOU's opponents have just a .151 shot percentage.

WOU enters the week leading the conference with 2.25 assists per contest as it has 10 assists on its first nine goals of the season. Western Oregon is also tied with Saint Martin's for third in the GNAC averaging 2.0 goals per match.

GNAC leaders:
Rachelle Kliewer is second in the GNAC with nine points as the junior transfer has made three goals and assisted on three others. Her 2.25 points per match also rank her second and her three goals have Kliewer in a tie for third in total goals and goals per match.

Kelsey Fuik has knocked two goals in during her first four games as a freshman to earn a tie for seventh place in the GNAC while Sam Slezak's two assists have placed her in a tie for third.

Strength of schedule:
The Western Oregon soccer team will play one of its toughest schedules since making the jump to NCAA Division II. This season the Wolves have already played the No. 3 (Chico State) and No. 8 (San Francisco State) in the west region, according to the NSCAA, and will face the No. 1 team in the nation Seattle Pacific twice during its GNAC schedule.

A look at Willamette:
Willamette is 1-0 this season after winning 3-0 in its opener against Northwest Christian. WU received goals from three different student-athletes and outshot Northwest Christian 15 to 6.

Last match:
Jessica Hick's knocked in a touch pass from Naomi Shimabuku off a free kick from Rachelle Kliewer with just nine seconds remaining in the second period as Western Oregon University women's soccer team earned a 1-1 tie on the road with San Francisco State, the No. 8 ranked team in the NSCAA west region, Sunday, Sept. 6.

"The girls came to play," Western Oregon head coach Rod Fretz said. "We played hard throughout the match, got great contributions from many players and made the adjustments to get the tie on the road."

Western Oregon was outshot 17-5 in the contest but made the most of its opportunities and played solid defense throughout including holding SFSU without a shot in the second overtime. The Wolves once again split time in goal as Brittney Rigtrup manned the net in the first half before Kelsie Blachly took over for the second half and both overtimes. Blachly lead the team with seven saves which included three in the first overtime period.

The goal was the first of the season for Hicks who came off the bench for the Wolves for the second straight game after missing the first two games of the season with an injury.

"We had a great gameplan today and matchup well," Fretz explained. "We believed in ourselves all the way through and even after San Francisco State scored there was no letdown in our team."

After a scoreless firs half, the Gators lit up the scoreboard in 67th minute but WOU continued to fight and were able to take advantage of a SFSU foul with just nine seconds remaining.

This was the second straight ranked opponent from the west region WOU has played, as it took No. 3 Chico State to the wire in a 1-0 loss Friday (Sept. 4).

"This was a big weekend for us overall," noted Fretz. "We were in the game against two very good teams and showed we could play."