Women's Soccer | 10/3/2013 3:41:00 PM

Box Score

INDEPENDENCE, Ore. – Makana Pundyke scored a pair of goals while adding an assist while the Western Oregon soccer team recorded its sixth shutout of the season as the Wolves cruised to a 4-0 victory over Northwest Nazarene in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference contest on Thursday afternoon. With the victory, WOU improved to 4-2-3 overall, 2-2-1 in league play, while NNU falls to 1-6-1 overall, 0-5-1 in conference action.

“From the start, I thought we managed the game well and wade the most of some of our early opportunities,” head coach Steve Ancheta said. “After a long road trip, it was important for us to take the three points and the team really played a strong match. Hopefully, this performance will carry-over to Saturday against a good Montana State Billings squad.”

Front the start, WOU found itself with a majority of the possession as Pundyke got the Wolves on the board in the ninth minute. Following a perfect cross by Taylor Higa, Pundyke completed her run into the middle of the box and easily defeated the Crusaders keeper to give the Wolves a 1-0.

WOU would extend the lead in the 24th minute as Pundyke would once again find herself involved in the goal. At the top of the goal box, the forward blasted a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, who deflected the ball to the left of the goal. A charging Higa pounced on the opportunity and tapped the ball into the back of the net for her first goal of the season to give the Wolves a 2-0 lead heading into the break.

The Wolves would continue the pressure after the halftime break as Pundyke would net her second goal of the day in the 49th-minute. On a perfectly delivered free kick by Rebecca Hoiland, Pundyke found an opening and blasted a shot into the bottom corner of the net to give the Wolves a 3-0 lead. The tally was the fifth of the season for the forward as Hoiland collected her first assist of the year.

Kealakekua Makekau put the finishing touches on the win with her first career goal in the 88th-minute as the Wolves claimed their largest victory over a conference foe since a 4-0 win over Central Washington in 2010.

Amanda Rose Johnson made one stop in net for the Wolves as WOU picked up its sixth shutout of the season. Johnson was aided by a strong performance from the Wolves midfield and backline as NNU threatened to score on only a pair of occasions.

WOU held a decided, 18-5, advantage in shots as Argia Phillips made six stops in net for the Crusaders. The Wolves also held a slight, 5-3, advantage in corner kicks.

Following a seven-match road trip, the game was originally scheduled to take place at the WOU Soccer Field; however, heavy rains forced the match to be played at Central High School in Independence, Ore.

WOU will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 5, at the WOU Soccer Field as the Wolves host Montana State Billings at 11:00 a.m.