Tuesday, September 17, 2013

PORTLAND, Ore. – Western Washington has risen to No. 4 in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association national rankings released Tuesday morning.

The Vikings, who are also ranked No. 1 in the NSCAA west region poll, began the season ranked No. 12 nationally before moving to No. 7 in last week’s poll, and haven’t allowed a goal yet this season as their record sits at a perfect 3-0.

Seattle Pacific, which has shut out its opponents in three straight victories, just missed being in the NSCAA top 25 as it also received votes, but was recognized as the No. 5 team in the NSCAA west region poll.

AHEAD:

WWU will be tested on the road this week as the Vikings head to Nampa, ID on Thursday to take on NNU and continue on to Billings, MT on Saturday in a bout on MSU Billings’ home turf.

The Yellowjackets and Crusaders will both also host Simon Fraser this week.

Central Washington welcomes Saint Martin’s to Ellensburg on Thursday and hosts Western Oregon on Saturday in what proves to be a pair of competitive conference matches.

Seattle Pacific will look to continue its three-game winning streak as it hosts WOU on Thursday and travels to SMU on Saturday.

EIGHT SHUTOUTS CLOSE PRESEASON:

Great Northwest Athletic Conference teams were outstanding from top to bottom in the final week of preseason play, going 8-1-2 collectively last week against non-conference opponents.

The strong performance was highlighted by Western Washington and Seattle Pacific each collecting a pair of shutout victories, as well as Montana State Billings, Saint Martin’s, Northwest Nazarene and Central Washington all earning their first wins of the season.

The Vikings, which are now ranked _ in this week’s National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll, made quick work of guests Notre Dame de Namur and Dixie State, scoring in the first half of each contest and adding insurance goals in the second.

Kristin Maris (F, 5-9, Sr., Issaquah, WA – Issaquah) contributed her first two goals of the season – one in each game – and Elise Aylward (F, 5-9, Fr., Renton, WA – Lindbergh) provided two assists as the Vikings moved to 3-0 on the season. 

Seattle Pacific proved it has the ability to match WWU step-for-step this season as the Falcons also notched 3-0 and 2-0 victories over the same two schools.

Laura Moore (F, 5-3, So., Kent, WA – Kentwood), who is ranked 15^th in the nation with four goals this season, scored in both games for the Falcons. Fellow sophomore Emma Holm (M, 5-4, So., Kirkland, WA – Lake Washington) also scored in each match, adding the insurance goal in the 88^th minute on Thursday against NDNU and getting the Falcons on the board in the 38^th minute against DSU on Saturday. 

No one had a better offensive performance than Kelli Bannerman (F, 5-5, Fr., Ferndale, WA – Ferndale) of Saint Martin’s, as the striker posted the first GNAC hat trick of the season and more importantly helped the Saints win their first game of the season in a 4-0 victory over Holy Names on Thursday. For her effort the freshman was named GNAC Offensive Player of the Week.

For Northwest Nazarene head coach Mary Trigg the wait is over not only for her first collegiate win, but for the first goals scored under her command.

Lexi Fesenbeck (F, 5-4, So., Olympia, WA – Olympia) ensured the Crusaders would not suffer a third straight heart-breaking 1-0 defeat as she fed a cross to the head of Kelsey Martin (F, 5-2, Fr., Salem, OR – Sprague) for NNU’s first goal and scored its second in the 2-0 victory over rival College of Idaho.

Western Oregon battled to two tough ties on Wednesday and Thursday before securing its second win of the season in a 2-0 triumph over Holy Names on Saturday.

The Wolves remain undefeated this season as its stellar defense has allowed just one goal. Kelsey Lindsey (GK, 5-5, Jr., Kula, HI – Kamehameha Maui) earned GNAC Defensive Player of the Week honors as she made seven saves and posted her first career shutout in Saturday’s win.

The combination of Savannah Moorehouse (M, 5-11, Jr., Bonney Lake, WA – Bonney Lake) to Danielle Brandli (M, 5-4, Jr., Bellevue, WA – Interlake) came up big for Central Washington on Tuesday as the junior midfielders hooked up twice in the Wildcats’ 2-1 overtime thriller over Eastern New Mexico. Brandli’s goals were CWU’s first two of the season.

MSU Billings closed out its preseason this week with a solid 2-0 showing over Mary as Heidi Greenback ( F, 5-7, Sr., Woodinville, WA – Woodinville) converted a penalty in the first half and Teegan Koster (M, 5-4, So., Sherwood, OR – Sherwood) added an insurance goal in the 82^nd minute.