Wednesday, September 27, 2017

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSE
Drew Farnsworth, Western Washington
FW • 5-9 • Freshman • Auckland, New Zealand
Farnsworth scored a pair of goals to help lead the Vikings to a 2-0 start in conference play. He scored in the 60th minute of Western Washington’s 3-2 win on Thursday over Saint Martin’s and accounted for the game-tying goal in the 87th minute of the Vikings’ eventual 3-2 overtime win over Seattle Pacific on Saturday.

Also Nominated: Guillaume Kremer (Montana State Billings), Brandon Madsen (Saint Martin’s), Matteo Polisi (Simon Fraser).

DEFENSE
Realf Zhivanaj, Montana State Billings
DF • 6-2 • Freshman • Tirane, Albania
Zhivanaj played 180 minutes as the Yellowjacket’s primary central defender, helping lead MSUB to a 2-0 week. The MSUB defense allowed Northwest Nazarene just six shots on goal in a 3-2 victory on Thursday. The defense held Concordia to just one goal in a 3-1 win on Saturday, with Zhivanaj contributing an insurance goal on a set piece in the 83rd minute.

Also Nominated: Griffin Small (Saint Martin’s), Jeff Cadman (Simon Fraser), Colton Ronk (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
CONCORDIA
LAST WEEK: Lost at Montana State Billings 3-1.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 28 vs. Simon Fraser, 4 p.m. Sept. 30 vs. Western Washington, 7 p.m.
• Concordia comes into this week with a 0-1-1 GNAC record after falling 3-1 at Montana State Billings on Saturday. The Cavaliers are averaging 0.80 goals per game.
• Noah Swigart leads the team with two goals and four points while Nick Evans has a team-high two assists.
• Reggie Reyes, Kieran McMinn and Todd Gibbs each have one goal this season.
• Benoit Bouillant has recorded 16 saves for a .727 save percentage in four matches. Grant Alcorn has posted 17 saves and a .739 save percentage in three matches.
• The Cavaliers return to Tuominen Yard to host No. 2 Simon Fraser and Western Washington this Thursday and Saturday.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
LAST WEEK: Won vs. Northwest Nazarene 3-2. Won vs. Concordia 3-1.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 28 vs. Seattle Pacific, 3:30 p.m. Sept. 30 vs. Saint Martin's, 3 p.m.
• The first career goal by Eli Williams and the first career multi-goal performance by Guillaume Kremer lifted Montana State Billings to a 3-2 win over Northwest Nazarene last Thursday.
•  Falling behind in the opening four minutes of play two days later, the Yellowjackets scored the next three goals in a 3-1 triumph over Concordia at home.
• Realf Zhivanaj was awarded the GNAC Defensive Player of the Week award after playing 180 minutes as the Yellowjacket’s primary central defender last week. The MSUB defense limited Northwest Nazarene just six shots and held Concordia to just one goal, with Zhivanaj contributing an insurance goal on a set piece in the 83rd minute.
• The Yellowjackets are now 3-0-2 all-time against Concordia. Saturday marked Williams’ second straight game on the score sheet.
•MSUB remains at home next week, hosting Seattle Pacific on Thursday and Saint Martin’s on Sept. 30.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
LAST WEEK: Lost at Montana State Billings 3-2.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 28 vs. Saint Martin's, 4 p.m. Sept. 30 vs. Seattle Pacific, 3 p.m.
• Northwest Nazarene fell 3-2 at Montana State Billings in their GNAC opener last Thursday.
• After halftime, the Crusaders evened the score at 1-1 when Jake Levine found Raphael Junquiera with a cross from the right side in the 51st minute. This would open a 14-minute span that would see four combined goals scored.
• The ‘Jackets converted the game-winner in the 64th minute when Guillaume Kremer controlled a defensive deflection and scored with a low shot from 18-yards out.
• Each team took 13 shots while the Crusaders finished with a 5-4 edge in corner kicks.
• Michael Bryant leads Northwest Nazarene with five points this season. Junquiera tallied his first goal of the season in NNU’s loss on Thursday.
• The Crusaders will look to bounce back this Thursday afternoon when they host Saint Martin’s at 4 p.m.

SAINT MARTIN'S
LAST WEEK: Lost at Western Washington 3-2. Lost at Simon Fraser 5-1.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 28 at Northwest Nazarene, 4 p.m. Sept. 30 at Montana State Billings, 3 p.m.
• Despite two second half goals in the final 10 minutes, the Saints fell 3-2 to Western Washington in their season opener on Thursday.
• Griffin Small went 83 minutes and made five saves before Parker Elliot finished off the final 6:26. McKray Kohn led the Saints with two shots, while Branden Madsen, Kyle Witzel and Caymon John each recorded one shot.
• Witzel scored his first goal of the season in the Saints’ 5-1 loss at No. 2 Simon Fraser on Saturday. Witzel led the Saints with 11 goals and 24 points last season.
• The Clan extended their lead in the second half on goals in the 56th and 63rd minute to take a commanding 3-0 lead. The Saints responded in the 82nd minute after Witzel put away the Saints’ lone goal of the day.
• Small leads the GNAC with 35 saves.
• The Saints remain on the road in conference action with a match up at Northwest Nazarene on Thursday at 3 p.m.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
LAST WEEK: Tied vs. Simon Fraser 1-1. Lost vs. Western Washington 3-2.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 28 at Montana State Billings, 3:30 p.m. Sept. 30 at Northwest Nazarene, 3 p.m.
• Seattle Pacific ended Simon Fraser’s four-match win streak with a 1-1 draw in their GNAC opener on Thursday.
• Each of the last three SPU games have gone to overtime, as the Falcons have captured a 1-1-1 record in those extended contests. Last year’s team played six overtime contests, including a stretch of four consecutive games, all of which ended in draws.
• Saturday’s 3-2 overtime loss to Western Washington halted a five-game unbeaten streak for Seattle Pacific. After losing the season opener 2-1 to Chico State, the Falcons managed wins over Sonoma State (4-1), Metro State (2-1), Colorado Christian (3-2) and Fort Hays State (2-1).
• The Falcons are competiting for their 36th NCAA Division II Tournament berth. They participated in the playoffs five straight seasons from 2011-15.
• A lengthy road trip that takes the Falcons through four states begins this Thursday, as they visit Montana State Billings at 3:30 p.m.

SIMON FRASER
LAST WEEK: Tied at Seattle Pacific 1-1. Won vs. Saint Martin's 5-1.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 28 at Concordia, 4 p.m. Sept. 30 at Cal State Dominguez Hills, 5 p.m.
• Despite falling behind for the first time this season, No. 2 Simon Fraser equalized in the second half and ended with a 1-1 draw against Seattle Pacific last Thursday.
• The equalizer came during the 65th minute off an Adam Jones header. He reached a service from Michael North and directed an eight-yard header across the goalmouth and into the upper right of the Falcons goal.
•  Matteo Polisi got the Clan off to an early scoring start against Saint Martin’s on Saturday, converting a penalty kick in the fourth minute to help the Clan to a 5-1 victory.
• Simon Fraser leads all GNAC teams with 19 goals scored, four goals allowed and two shutouts and is the remaining unbeaten GNAC squad.
• Polisi continues to lead the Clan in points this season with 12 points. Jones scored his third goal of the season on Thursday.
• SFU will head to Portland, Ore., Thursday night to take on Concordia at 7pm.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
LAST WEEK: Won vs. Saint Matin's 3-2. Won at Seattle Pacific 3-2.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 30 at Concordia, 7 p.m.
• Western Washington went up 3-0 and held off a late Saint Martin’s rally to earn its first GNAC victory of the season on Thursday, 3-2.
• On Saturday, Stephen Jinneman scored a golden goal with a header in the 93rd minute as the Vikings completed a 3-2 come-from-behind overtime victory against Seattle Pacific at Interbay.
• It was the second career goal for Jinneman, whose first career goal came via a golden goal header last season to give the Vikings a 3-2 win in overtime against Dixie State in the first round of the 2016 NCAA Division II Tournament.
• Drew Farnsworth scored a pair of goals to help lead the Vikings to a 2-0 start in conference play, earning himself the GNAC Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week honor.  
• Along with their 2-0 start in conference, the Vikings were also awarded the GNAC/Red Lion Team of the Week honor. Western Washington is the first soccer program to receive the award this year.
• WWU returns to action on Saturday at Concordia. Following that contest, the Vikings will play four consecutive conference games at home, beginning with Seattle Pacific on Oct. 5.