Women's Soccer | 10/31/2012 12:13:00 PM

2012 GNAC WOMEN'S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP
Starfire Sports Complex - Tukwila, Wash.

THURSDAY, NOV. 1
No. 4 Western Oregon vs. No. 1 Western Washington - 5:00 p.m.
No. 3 Montana State Billings vs. No. 2 Seattle Pacific - 8:00 p.m.

LIVE VIDEO: WOU TV (Stretch Internet)
LIVE STATS: WOU TV (Stretch Internet)

MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Western Oregon women's soccer team returns to action this week as the Wolves begin post-season play as the No. 4-seed in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Women's Soccer Championship and will face No. 1-seed Western Washington in a semifinal match at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 1, at the Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, Wash.

“It's a great opportunity for the program as the conference tournament gives us the chance to qualify for the NCAA tournament,” head coach Steve Ancheta said. “It's obviously going to be a tough road; but, we have been playing well and I know the team is ready to give it everything they have. It should be an exciting and fun tournament.”

WOU enters the inaugural conference tournament after its best conference record in nearly a decade as the Wolves finished the regular season with a mark of 8-9-1 overall and finished in fourth-place in the conference standings with a 6-7-1 record.

The Wolves have been led offensively by first-team all-conference selection Lindsay Bauman as well as Kymberly Witmer and Marina Austin. Bauman leads the team in scoring with 15 points (5 goals, 5 assists), while Austin has 10 points (5 goals) and Witmer has netted four goals.

On the defensive side of the ball, goalie Hillary Lutz recorded four consecutive shutouts late in the season and takes a 1.10 goals against average into the tournament. She has been aided by solid backline play from all-conference selections Rebecca Hoiland and Melissa Gonzalez as the Wolves rank fourth in the league with a 1.29 goals against average.

WWU enters the championship as the top-seed as the Vikings finished the regular season with a mark of 15-3-0 overall and captured the GNAC regular season title with a 12-2-0 mark. The Vikings have proven to be one of the top defensive teams in the country, allowing just five goals in 18 regular-season contests.

GNAC Player of the Year Jamie Arthurs has had a remarkable season posting a GNAC-record 14 shutouts and leadis the nation in goals against average (0.28). 

On offense the top point producers have included Catherine Miles (7 goals, 6 assists), Kristin Maris (7 goals, 4 assists), and Brina Sych (5 goals, 5 assists).

WWU swept the season series from WOU, claiming a pair of 2-0 victories as the Vikings now lead the all-time series with the Wolves, 26-5-0.

The winner of the match will go on to face the winner of the semifinal between Montana State Billings and Seattle Pacific on Saturday, Nov. 3, at 2:00 p.m. The winner of the championship match will earn the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship.