Box Score

NAMPA, Idaho (Sept. 13) -- Seniors KELSY VILLEGAS (Graham/Graham-Kapowsin HS) and CARSON MCKOLE (Oak Harbor) extended their consecutive games streak for goals scored, and junior Tarah Duty (Black Diamond/Tahoma HS) recorded her first collegiate tally as the Central Washington University women's soccer team opened Great Northwest Athletic Conference play with a 3-0 victory over host Northwest Nazarene University on Thursday afternoon.

The Wildcats won their second straight game in shutout fashion, evening their overall record to 2-2-1 on the season. Northwest Nazarene suffered its first home loss and is now 3-2-0 overall.

“We did a great job to create goals,” CWU head coach Michael Farrand said. “The goals we scored were balls that we should be finishing, and we had several other chances to score that we just weren't able to capitalize on.”

The game's first goal was scored by Villegas, who charted her fourth goal of the year including her fourth tally in as many games. McKole served the ball across from the left side of the field, where Villegas collected it and found the net from approximately five yards out.

After Villegas' tally at the 13th minute, Duty made it 2-0 seven minutes later after converting a free kick from 35 yards out. The goal was the first of Duty's career in her 35th career game -- although she is in her first season as an outside midfielder after being a defender during her freshman and sophomore campaigns.

“I was extremely impressed by Tarah's free kick,” Farrand exclaimed. “It was a difficult shot for her to be able to shoot it over the (NNU defensive) wall and into the bottom corner of the goal.”

The lead reached three goals at the 25th minute as McKole, who now has 17 career goals, dribbled the ball down the field and converted in a one-on-one situation with NNU goalkeeper Tanya Zickefoose.

With the early three-goal lead in place, it was up to the CWU defense, including sophomore goalkeeper Kayla Lipston (Federal Way/Decatur HS) to keep it intact. Despite a listed 5-1 shot disadvantage in the second half, Lipston was up to the task as the Wildcats posted their second straight shutout and extended their opponents' scoreless streak to 188 minutes, 41 seconds.

“Kayla may have played the best game of her career today,” Farrand explained. “She did a good job in every facet of goalkeeping today, including her goal kicks, cutting balls out of the air, and making a great point-blank save in the second half.”

Lipston, who secured her third shutout of the season and the fourth of her career, was credited with five saves.

Zickefoose made three saves for the Crusaders.

CWU remains on the road this Saturday, facing Montana State University Billings in a scheduled 3 p.m. Mountain Time (2 p.m. Pacific) contest. The Wildcats will return home next Thursday to face Simon Fraser University.