ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University soccer team picked up its second win of the season with a 2-0 victory over California State University-Monterey Bay.  The Wildcats are now 2-2-0 on the season, while the Otters fall to 1-3-0. 
 
The Otters got the first chance of the game in the sixth minute when Kristen Womack took a shot that went wide right.  Monterey Bay would get another chance just a minute and a half later on a header from Amanda Guerrero that was pushed left of the cage.
 
Central Washington capitalized on a free kick in the 18^th minute.  Keilin Farrand curled a ball into the box and Cassie Ripley was able to find her way into the box and flick a shot towards the lower end of the left post.  Her header beat Victoria Whyte for a 1-0 Wildcat lead.


In the 41^st minute the Otters threatened the equalizer on an opportunity by Regan Porteous, but Amanda White was able to turn her shot aside.    Womack found space and took a shot that White gathered up in the 45^th minute.
 
Monterey Bay got an early chance in the 50^th minute, when Katherine Hearn let loose a shot towards goal, but White was once again able to stem the offensive.


The Otters conceded a corner kick in the 58^th minute that led to a header by Lauren Duty, but Whyte was able snag the well-placed shot.
 
In the 60^th minute, Michelle Garrone had a shot stopped by white that led to a corner.  Off the corner kick, Monterey Bay defender Courtney Gaardsmoe fired a shot wide right.
 
Whitney Lowe found space in the box in the 80^th minute and unleashed a shot on Whyte.   The shot was turned aside, however the ball careened towards the center of the box and Lowe fought her way to the ball.  She was able to grit through the physical defense and fire the rebound home to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead.
 
"Amanda white gets her first shutout of the year and defense played solid behind the ball, limiting one of the better forwards we have seen in Kristen Womack," head coach Michael Farrand said afterward.  "She is one of the hardest forwards we have played against.  I thought we possessed the ball better today.  I think Cassie had a great game, she did the little things right.  She helped us get corners and obviously got the goal."
 
Both Lowe and Ripley scored their first goals of the season and as Wildcats.  White finished with four saves.
 
"Whit's [Lowe] goal was definitely effort on her part to not give up on the ball," Farrand said.  "She fired the first shot and the keeper made the save, she was able to get back on the ball and get her first collegiate goal."
 
The win brings the Wildcats back to .500 with a 2-2-0 record. Central has also outscored their opponents 4-2 in their last three games.
 
"I think from that point on we controlled the ball and were able to control the game," Farrand added afterward.  "We definitely have to work hard for Sunday, getting physically and emotionally ready for Stanislaus.  Hopefully we can build off that to get ready for our first conference came against Concordia next week."


Central Washington will be back in action on Sunday, Sept. 13, to host Stanislaus State University.  Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m.