BELLINGHAM, Wash. (Oct. 8) – The Central Washington University soccer team forced overtime against No. 3 Western Washington, but fell 2-1 in extra time.  The Wildcats are now 3-7-0 on the season and have a 1-4-0 record in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.  The Vikings move to 10-1-0 overall and 5-0-0 in GNAC play. 
 
The Wildcats generated the first chance of the game in the fourth minute.  Whitney Lowe fired a shot on WWU keeper Ashley Haden, who turned the shot aside. 
 
Central got another chance in the 20^th minute.  Kaysha Darcy drove a shot towards net, but Haden got in the way again for her second save.  The Wildcats got a second chance moments later.
 
Darcy gained control and maneuvered through Viking defenders.  She sent a through ball towards the 18, finding Reilly Retz in stride.  Retz beat Haden in close, one-on-one with her first touch, and punched the ball home to the far post from 12 yards out.  Retz's second goal of the season gave the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.
 
"Fantastic goal to open the game with," CWU Head Coach Michael Farrand said.  Kaysha [Darcy] split to the outside and sent a ball in.  Reilly [Retz] was able to beat the keeper one-on-one and put it in far post.  It was a great goal and a great way for us to open the game."
 
The Vikings found the equalizer early in the second half.  In the 54^th minute a cross by Gabriela Pelogi was taken and directed past CWU keeper Sydney Williams near the left post, putting the teams on level pegging at 1-1.
 
The Wildcats took a pair of corner kicks in the 67^th and 80^th minutes, but were driven back by Western.
 
Williams came up with a pair of saves in the second to keep the score level.

"Second half was a good war," Coach Farrand added.  "We got pushed back a little and they beat us inside the box for the equalizer."
 
A tightly contested extra period saw just one shot.  Pelogi took a pass from Emily Webster for the Vikings and floated a shot inside the left post from 20 yards to end the match. 
 
"In the first five minutes of overtime we got some chances and played hard," Farrand said of the overtime.  "They were able to convert."
 
The Wildcats had strong ball movement and possession within the first five minutes of extra time, including a pair of services into the box, but were unable to find the back of the net.
 
"It was our best game of year in a lot of aspects," Coach Farrand said of the effort.  I'm disappointed with the results, but I think we pushed them farther then they've been pushed this year.  We just took the number three team to overtime and had a shot to win.
 
Tonight's match was the first time the Vikings were forced to extra time in a GNAC match.
 
"We need to take the next few games and get some points to face them again in the postseason," Farrand said.  "Next Thursday is going to be another war when they come back our way."
 
The Wildcats will play host to Saint Martin's University on Saturday (Oct. 10).  Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. at the CWU Soccer Complex.