ELLENSBURG, Wash. — The Central Washington University women's soccer team travels to Northwest Nazarene and Montana State Billings to open GNAC play.
MATCH INFORMATION
Thursday, September 23
At Northwest Nazarene
5:00 p.m. PT
Nampa, Idaho
NNU Soccer Field
LIVE STATS | WATCH
Saturday, September 25
At Montana State Billings
11:00 a.m. PT
Billings, MT
Yellowjacket Soccer Field
LIVE STATS | WATCH
QUOTABLE
"Since this is the GNAC opener, we are looking at it as a fresh start and we are excited to show what are capable of," Assistant Coach Emmy Koflanovich said. "NNU had a successful spring season. It will be a good match and we are excited to get after it. Billings has opened the season well and are playing tough defensively. We'll have to keep working and make the most of the chances we get. Starting conference on the road we have to dig deep and get it done."
SCOUTING NORTHWEST NAZARENE
The Nighthawks enter the week with a 2-1-1 record. They are coming off a pair of road contests against Colorado Mesa and No. 13 Westminster College. Both goers required overtime.
Against Colorado Mesa, NNU fell 3-2 in extra time. Jade Zimmer score the game's first goal, giving the Nighthawks a 1-0 lead in the 30th minute. It wasn't until the 59th minute that Colorado Mesa found the equalizer from Haley Klasner. A minute later, Madison Grande gave the Nighthawks their second lead. NNU held the advantage until the 83rd minute. Klasner buried her second goal to level the score. Just over six minutes into overtime, Lila Dere sent Colorado Mesa home with the victory.
In their last outing against Westminster, the Nighthawks played to a 1-1 draw. Sage Stott scored the opening goal for Westminster before Grande leveled the score line await an 84th minute goal. A pair of overtime periods came and went with neither team scoring.
Through four games, Grande leads NNU in scoring. She has compiled two goals. McKenzie Buell, Makayla Roggow, and Zimmer have also tallied one goal each. The Nighthawks have scored five goals on 55 shots, 24 of which were on goal.
Alexis Montoya been the only player in goal for NNU. She has allowed just four goals, and made 24 saves, on 60 shots faced.
SCOUTING MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
The Yellowjackets are 3-1-1 on the season. Their last two outings have been at home against Minnesota State University Moorhead and the University of Mary. Billings picked up a pair of clean sheet wins.
Liberty Palmer, Sydney Torres, and Kendall McGraw all scored for the 'Jackets as they shut out MSU Moorhead 3-0. MSUB outshot Moorhead 23-4, including a 9-3 margin in shots on goal. All three goals came in the second half.
Against the University of Mary, Lexie Bloyder scored her first goal of the season for a 1-0 advantage over the Marauders. Palmer added her second goal of the season as a brace for the 2-0 win. Billings outshot Mary 13-8.
Palmer leads the Yellowjackets with six points (2G+1A=6TP). Bloyder, Jordan Roe, and Maddy Smith, have each tallied one goal and one assist. McGraw and Torres round out the remaining scorers for MSUB. They have totaled seven goals on the season with 83 shots.
Clare Keenan and Tuva Sallvin have split time in goal. Keenan has allowed two goals on 28 shots. She has also turned aside 13 shots. Sallvin has yet to allow a goal this season and has made 11 saves. She has faced 13 shots in two games.
Billings is slated to to take on Seattle Pacific on Thursday (Sept. 23) at Interbay Stadium in Seattle.
THE WILDCATS
Central has had a tough go in their last three matches. They are 0-3-0 in those matches.
They felt Chaminade 2-1, after Makinzie Packwood tied the game at 1-1 in the 51st minute. Against Humboldt State, Bella Brown scored the lone CWU goal in a 4-1 loss. The woes continued against Point Loma, as the Wildcats fell 6-1. Casey Park scored her first collegiate goal against Point Loma.
Packwood currently leads the Wildcats with six points. She has tallied two goals and two assists. Park sits in second with three points. Brown, Sydney Lowe, and Maci Parke have also scored a goal for the Wildcats.
Megan Fox has handled the majority of time in goal for the Crimson and Black. She has made 23 saves on 56 shots. Opponents have scored 14 goals against.
