Box Score

LACEY (Sept. 25) -- Central Washington University junior Carson McKole (Oak Harbor) scored her team-leading fourth goal of the season in the second minute, helping the Wildcats to a 1-0 women's soccer victory over host Saint Martin's University on Sunday afternoon in Lacey.

The Wildcats, who are off to their best eight-match start since 2008, are now 4-2-2 on the season and 3-1-0 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. With Sunday's win, they have already matched their entire 2010 win total with 10 matches remaining in the regular season. Saint Martin's remains winless on the season with a 0-6-2 record (0-4-0 GNAC).

The 1-0 victory marked the first time this season that the Wildcats have scored just one goal. Central had either been shutout or scored exactly two goals in every other contest so far in 2011.

Central didn't waste any time getting on the scoreboard, as McKole found the back of the net just 99 seconds into the match on the first shot attempt for either team. Seniors Amy Pate (Federal Way/Thomas Jefferson HS) and Brittany Franks (Yakima/West Valley HS) teamed up to find McKole, who dribbled past defenders to score her fourth goal of the season from four yards out.

“Another good start,” CWU head coach Michael Farrand said. “Amy (Pate) and Brittany (Franks) made quality passes and Carson (McKole) added another fantastic goal.”

Sophomore goalkeeper Kori Butterfield (Duvall/Cedarcrest HS) thwarted the Saints' offense, collecting four saves and posting her third shutout of the season. Butterfield and the rest of the CWU defense held Saint Martin's to just seven total shot attempts, helping the Wildcats to a 15-7 shot advantage. Central also took a 7-2 edge in corner kicks.

“We had a lot of good chances, and should have probably scored three or four times,” Farrand added. “We need to keep this momentum going and do the same things next week.”

The Wildcats will play their next five games at home, starting with Northwest Nazarene University on Thursday (Sept. 29) at 4 p.m. Pacific.