Women's Soccer Begins Four-Game Homestand This Week Against SFU, SMU
MONMOUTH, Ore. – Riding a four-match unbeaten streak, the Western Oregon University women's soccer team will get to enjoy the comforts of home over the next few weeks. The Wolves open up a four-match home stretch this Thursday against Simon Fraser at 2 p.m. at the WOU Soccer Field. They will close the week on Saturday against Saint Martin's, also at 2 p.m.
WOU (3-5-2, 2-2-2 GNAC) is coming off of a hard-fought 2-2 draw at Northwest Nazarene this past Saturday. The Wolves came back twice in the game to earn the conference road point. Entering this week, WOU sits in fourth in the GNAC standings with eight points. Seattle Pacific and Western Washington are tied for first with 15 points, followed by Simon Fraser just ahead of WOU in third with nine points. Right behind WOU tied for fifth in both Northwest Nazarene and Montana State Billings with seven points apiece. Saint Martin's isn't far behind in seventh with six points and Central Washington rounds out the eight-team conference standing with three points. The top four teams qualify for the GNAC Championships that will take place Nov. 11-13 in Bellingham, Wash.
Also, on the road trip, WOU recorded a season-high three goals in a 3-0 win at Central Washington. Of the five goals this week, the Wolves had five different goal scorers. WOU has 10 goals on the season, allowing just 12 to opponents. The Wolves have 102 shots, with 51 on goal, while opponents have 131 shots, with 54 on goal. The Wolves have generated 51 corner kicks to 52 for opponents.
Piper Matson and Jada Foster each netter goals on the road trip and are tied for the team lead in goals with three apiece. Matson leads the team in points with seven. Chloe Smith is third on the team with four points off of four assists, including two in the tie against Northwest Nazarene. Kaytlyn Larsen, Erika Gonzalez Moreno, Lilly Nowatzke, Liz Parker and Alyssa Talkington all have two points. Larsen, Nowatzke, Parker and Talkington all have a goal this year, while Gonzalez Moreno has two assists. Briana Kubli and Hannah Rispler each have an assist on the season. Rispler leads the team in minutes played with 929, followed by Foster's 877. WOU has two other players approaching 800 minutes in Gonzalez Moreno (793) and Smith (787).
In goal, Emily Wheeler has started the past several games during the unbeaten stretch and is 2-0-2 on the season with 21 saves and an 84 percent save percentage. Darien Walton has seen time in six matches this season and has a win along with 20 saves. Olivia Holdenried made her collegiate debut at Central Washington and recorded a save.
WOU ranks third in the GNAC in goals against average (1.216) and fourth in several categories including assists per game (1.10), points per game (3.30), saves per game (4.90), shutout percentage (30) and total assists (11).
Individually, Smith is 20th nationally and leads the GNAC in total assists and is 33rd nationally and second in the GNAC in assists per game. Foster is 54th nationally and third in the GNAC in game-winning goals. Foster and Matson are tied for sixth in the GNAC in total goals and Walton ranks eighth in the GNAC in total saves.
WOU and Simon Fraser have split their past 10 meetings and the Wolves won the most recent meeting in 2019 claiming the 3-1 win in Canada. During the last meeting in Monmouth in 2018, Simon Fraser won by a 3-1 score.
Simon Fraser is 2-6-1 overall on the season, but are 3-3 in GNAC play. They picked up a forfeit win against Northwest Nazarene due to COVID and travel issues that didn't allow the Nighthawks to travel to Canada for the match. While the match counts as a forfeit in the GNAC standings, it doesn't count towards the overall season record.
SFU has played some close games this season. They nearly opened GNAC play with a win over Western Washington before the Vikings rallied late to score a pair of goals for the win. They defeated Saint Martin's and Central Washington by the same scores of 2-1. During the past week, they lost at Seattle Pacific (2-0) and lost in overtime at Montana State Billings (2-1).
Simon Fraser has scored seven goals, while allowing 13. They have 73 total shots, with 40 landing on goal. Opponents have 116 shots, with 48 on goal. SFU has just 20 corner kicks this season and opponents have 57.
Kate Cartier and Giuliana Zaurrini lead the team with two goals apiece and four points. Mackenzie Almeida, Kiara Buono and Kayla Goncalves all have a goal this season. In goal, Kelsey Fisher has started all nine games, coming away with 35 saves.
WOU will start the second part of seeing the GNAC teams again on Saturday when Saint Martin's comes to town. The Saints opened the conference schedule with a 2-0 win over the Wolves in Lacey back on Sep. 23. During the last meeting in Monmouth during the shortened 2021 spring season, WOU claimed the 3-2 victory. The Wolves have won the past two meetings in Monmouth.
Saint Martin's is 3-7 overall and 2-4 in GNAC play, currently on a three-game losing streak. The Saints are 0-4 away from home in true road contests and 0-5 overall on the road. Last time out, Central Washington picked up their first win of the season defeating SMU 4-1. They will play at Western Washington before traveling down to Monmouth.
SMU has 10 goals to 15 for opponents. The Saints have 137 shots, with 53 landing on goal. Opponents have 118 shots, with 53 also landing on goal. SMU has 40 corner kicks to 34 for opponents. Rebecca Garrison, Kiersten Madsen and Maddie Wolff lead the Saints with four points. Madsen and Wolff each have two goals, while Garrison has a goal and two assists. Elisabeth Cole, Mia Fleming, Daeh Lindquist and Salma Perez all have a goal this season. In net, Ali Campigotto has started eight games and has 31 saves and two of the three wins, with Soph Mendoza getting the other win.
Fans are allowed to attend and remember to wear a mask.
Live video and stats will be available for both matches. Live video can be found here and live stats can be found here.
