ELLENSBURG, Wash (Oct. 2) – Freshman Viktoriya Vasina (Auburn, WA, Auburn Mountainview ) scored her second goal of her career that proved to be the winning tally in a 1-0 win over Seattle Pacific University.
 
The win elevates the Wildcats to 4-5 overall and 3-2 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. The Falcons drop to 4-3-1 overall and 2-2-1 in the GNAC. The win bumps the Wildcats into the third spot in the GNAC standings, pouncing over the Falcons.
 
The lone strike occurred in the 69^th minute. Vasina struck a ball 16-yards out and beat the keeper to the upper-left corner. The scoring play began when reigning GNAC Player of the Week, Hadli Farrand (Ellensburg, WA, Ellensburg), corralled a loose ball at midfield and played it forward to Mackenzie Nolte (Marysville, WA, Marysville-Pilchuck ). Nolte laid it out for Vasina who beat and SPU defender and found gold for the lead.
 
"We had a good game plan tonight," Head Coach Michael Farrand said. "Hannah Huesers is a solid player and so is Isabel Farrell but our defense held them in check."
 
Huesers and Farrell entered the game as the GNAC's top-two point getters.
 
Senior keeper Kayla Lipston (Federal Way, WA, Decatur) snatched a career-high 11 saves in the winning effort, topping her previous high of 10 she earned at Western Oregon University last season.
 
"Kayla took the high ball away all night," Farrand said. "That was something we asked her to do this game. I thought our backline did a great job, too."
 
The Falcons had more than their fair shares of scoring opportunities. In the 60^th minute Meghan Ward (Chehalis, WA, W.F. West) made a sliding save that cleared a ball that was tiptoeing the goal line. The Falcons outshot the Wildcats 24-to-8 finding the goal seven more times than CWU. In the 79^th minute a Falcon shot hit the post and rattled out of the box.
 
"This is the first game all year we showed we can battle and win," Farrand explained "It's about the effort as a group and a whole. We worked together for the full 90 minutes tonight, and the defense really stepped it up."
 
The Wildcats finish their road trip at 2-1 and will return home to take on Western Oregon University, Saturday, Oct. 4, at the CWU Soccer Complex. Kickoff is set for 11 pm.
 
"We played great tonight," Farrand added. "The team and I would really like to thank all the Wildcat Alumni and fans that showed their support tonight."