ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University soccer team will take on a pair of Great Northwest Athletic Conference foes this week. The Wildcats host rival No. 2 Western Washington on Thursday (Oct. 15) before travelling to Northwest Nazarene University on Saturday (Oct. 17).
The Vikings hold a nine-game winning streak on the season. Their record currently sits at 11-1-0, with a 6-0-0 record in GNAC play. Western is 5-1-0 on the road, taking the only loss of the season at Humboldt State (1-2).
"Western has just moved up in the coaches poll again," CWU Head Coach Michael Farrand remarked. "Travis has done a great job. The WWU-Central rivalry is always intense in any of our sports."
Thursday's match is a reverse fixture for the Wildcats. They played the Vikings last Thursday in Bellingham. Reilly Retz scored in the 21st minute, but the Vikings got the equalizer in the 54th. Regulation time expired and the match went into sudden death. Western found the scoreboard in extra time, claiming a 2-1 victory.
"We played a great solid game plan up there," Farrand added. "We executed well and got up a goal, but then gave one away. We were able to play even all the way out and if you look at the game we only gave up one corner. I think it speaks to how well we played defensively."
Catherine Miles and Elise Aylward lead the Vikings with six goals each. Miles has also recorded two assists for a team leading 14 points.
Ashley Haden has compiled 960 minutes in net, made 33 saves, and recorded six clean sheets.
"There are some adjustments on defense that we have to cover," Farrand noted. "Once again we will try to go up another level. We want to pressure them from the very beginning and get a chance to get a few goals."
The Vikings lead the GNAC in shots (240), goals (28), goals per game (2.33), goals allowed (5), and goals against average (0.41).
Northwest Nazarene sits at 5-6-1 on the season with a 2-4-1 record in GNAC play. The Crusaders are 3-2-1 at home. The Wildcats' match against the Crusaders is also a reverse fixture.
"NNU at home, they beat SPU, they're going to come hard. No one likes to have six scored on them," Farrand said. "Mary is a great coach and her girls play hard for her. We just need to go down and get points to give ourselves a chance to be successful at the end of the year."
When Central Washington squared off with Northwest Nazarene on Oct. 1, the Wildcats had a record-breaking day offensively. They defeated the Crusaders 6-2, utilizing six different goal scorers.
Nicole Nsa leads the Crusaders with six goals on twenty four shots. Northwest Nazarene has scored 21 goals on 114 shots this season.
Daniele Ortiz has played all 1,111 minutes the Crusaders have been on the pitch for this season. She has faced 80 shots and allowed 22 goals. Ortiz has notched four clean sheets.
"It's going to be a challenge going on the road," Farrand noted. "The way our schedule is set up with being at home, then travel, or on the road, then home it can make it complicated in terms of being a successful student athlete."
Central Washington enters the week with a 4-7-0 record overall. In GNAC matches, the Wildcats are 2-4-0. The Wildcats have enjoyed the confines of the CWU Soccer Complex, compiling a 4-2-0 record in Ellensburg.
Whitney Lowe and Cassie Ripley have each notched four goals for CWU. Three of Ripley's four goals have been game winners. Mackenzie Nolte leads the Wildcats with five assists. She also leads the squad with 22 shots.
Sydney Williams has played the last two matches in net for Central Washington after returning from an injury. She has stopped 15 shots and allowed just two goals. Against Saint Martin's University, Williams stopped nine shots in the second half to preserve her clean sheet.
Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. in Ellensburg on Thursday. Live stats are available at wildcatsports.com.
