Thursday, October 1, 2015

ROLLING ALONG: Western Washington pitched two shutouts against Saint Martin’s and Simon Fraser, scoring eight goals between the two matches. They remained No. 5 in the NSCAA Division II Top-25 Rankings after winning their fifth-straight match.

TIMELY SCORING: Montana State Billings went 1-0-1 over the weekend, defeating Western Oregon with two goals in a second half comeback, and earning a scoreless draw against Concordia. The Yellowjackets are undefeated in conference in the early season, led by GNAC scoring leader Jessica Spang.

UPSET ALERT: Northwest Nazarene upset previously No. 11-ranked Seattle Pacific 1-0. Danielle Ortiz stole the show with an 11-save performance. The Crusaders also tied Western Oregon 2-2. Seattle Pacific trailed late in its second match of the week, but scored a 90th minute goal and a 92nd minute golden goal to sneak by Saint Martin’s 2-1.

LOOKING AHEAD: Western Washington and Seattle Pacific will meet in a battle of ranked opponents. Montana State Billings look to stay undefeated in conference play against Simon Fraser and Saint Martin’s, while Western Oregon, Central Washington and Saint Martin’s look for their first conference victories.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

OFFENSIVE
Elise Aylward, Western Washington
F • 5-9 • Junior • Renton, Wash.

Aylward tied the GNAC single-match record for goals as she scored a hat trick in the Vikings’ 5-0 rout at Simon Fraser, scoring all three in the first 15 minutes of the match. She also had three shots on goal in Thursday’s 3-0 shutout of Saint Martin’s. The effort helped lead Western Washington to a 3-0-0 start to league play. Also nominated: Lexi Fesenbek (Northwest Nazarene), Jessica Spang (Montana State Billings).

DEFENSIVE
Ana Delgadillo, Concordia
D • 5-6 • Sophomore • Vancouver, Wash.

Delgadillo anchored a Concordia defense that did not allow a goal in 200 minutes in two matches. Concordia opened on Monday with a 2-0 non-conference shutout over Southern Oregon and then went on the road and battled Montana State Billings to a 0-0 tie on Saturday. Also nominated: Katlyn Lokay (Montana State Billings), Daniele Ortiz (Northwest Nazarene), Sierra Shugarts (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC

CENTRAL WASHINGTON

- The Wildcats fell in their lone match of the week, 1-0, on the road against Simon Fraser on Thursday dropping to 2-5-0 overall and 0-2-0 in conference.

- Central Washington took another tough-luck loss, allowing the only goal in the 66th minute to the Clan. Goalkeeper Amanda White made nine saves in net.

- The Wildcats are second overall in the conference in saves (43). White also ranks second individually in saves (42), ranking 60th in the nation.

- Mackenzie Nolte leads the team and is second in the conference in assists (3). She also leads the team in shots (14). Whitney Lowe paces the Wildcats in goals (2) and points (4).

- The Wildcats will play a pair of matches this week, first hosting Northwest Nazarene on Thursday before traveling to Western Oregon on Saturday.

CONCORDIA

- The Cavaliers earned a scoreless draw against Montana State Billings in their lone match of the week on Saturday moving to 4-1-2 overall and 1-0-1 in conference with the tie.

- Shots were fairly even, with Concordia holding an advantage 18-11 in total shots. Montana State Billings held a slim 5-4 advantage in shots on net.

- Olivia Brock earned another shutout, her third of the season in just five matches. She leads the conference in goals against average (0.20) and save percentage (.941).

- The Cavaliers are second in the conference in goals against average (0.40), allowing just three goals all season. Brock has allowed just one.

- Concordia is outscoring its opponents 10-3 this season. Karlie Hurley and Shannon McMahon lead the team in goals (2) and points (4).

- The Cavaliers will stay in Oregon this week, hosting Saint Martin’s on Thursday before heading south to Western Oregon on Tuesday.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS:

- The Yellowjackets finished the week 1-0-1 with a win over Western Oregon 2-1 on Thursday and a scoreless draw against Concordia on Saturday.

- Jessica Spang scored both goals for MSUB in the win over WOU, tying the match in the 49th minute before burying the eventual game-winner in the 65th minute. Hayley Warren assisted on both goals.

- Spang is tied for first in the conference in goals (5) and is the sole leader in goals per match (0.71) and points (12). Spang ranks 80th in the nation in goals and 89th in points.

- The Yellowjackets have outscored opponents 10-6 on the season, averaging the fourth best goals against average (0.78) in the GNAC.

- Chloe Hopps is undefeated in net with a 4-0-1 record, 10 saves and a 0.73 goals against average. She made four saves against Concordia on Saturday to earn the shutout.

- The Yellowjackets will be on the road for two matches, visiting Simon Fraser on Thursday and Saint Martin’s on Saturday.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE

- The Crusaders completed a shutout over then No. 11 Seattle Pacific 1-0 on Thursday. They followed it up with a 2-2 tie against Western Oregon.

- Danielle Ortiz may have stolen a game for the Crusaders, making 11 saves against one of the top offenses in the GNAC in Seattle Pacific, earning the shutout. Sarah Jenkins scored the game-winning goal in the 58th minute.

- The Crusaders traded goals with the Wolves in their match, scoring the tying goal in the 89th minute. Lexi Fesenbek had the goal, and also assisted on the team’s first goal by Rachel Ball in the 38th minute. Ortiz made seven saves in the match.

- Nicole Nsa is third in the conference in both points (10) and goals (4), while Fesenbek ranks sixth in points (9) and seventh in goals (3) along with teammate Kelsey Martin.

- The Crusaders have an even record of 1-1-1 in conference, and are just over .500 overall at 4-3-1. The will be on the road against Central Washington on Thursday and Seattle Pacific on Saturday.

SAINT MARTIN’S

- The Saints fell twice this week to the top-two teams in the conference. They 3-0 on the road against Western Washington and 2-1 at home versus Seattle Pacific in overtime.

- Goalkeeper Sunny DeBoer made nine saves against WWU, holding them off the scoreboard through the first half. DeBoer is third in the GNAC in saves per game (5.00).

- Against SPU, the Saints were within 15 seconds of an upset win, but gave up the tying goal in the 90th minute. A minute and 15 seconds into overtime, the Falcons got the golden goal to win it.

- Kelli Bannerman scored the lone goal for the Saints this week. She is tied with Abby McFaul for the team lead in goals (3) and is second on the team in points (7). McFaul is eighth in the conference in points (8) and fourth in points per game (1.33).

- The Saints fell to 1-5-0 overall, dropping their first two conference matches of the season. They travel to face Concordia on Thursday before returning home to host Montana State Billings on Saturday.

SEATTLE PACIFIC

- The Falcons had a tough week, falling to Northwest Nazarene 1-0 on Thursday before nearly losing to Saint Martin’s on Saturday.

- The Falcons came into the week ranked No. 11 in the nation, but dropped to No. 24. They had strong performances overall, but had difficulty finding the back of the net.

- Against NNU, the Falcons held an 18-5 shot advantage and 12-5 in shots on goal. Ortiz for NNU made 11 saves to shutout the Falcons.

- Against Saint Martin’s, SPU was nearly shutout once again after holding a sizeable shot advantage for the second straight match. In the final minute, Hannah Huesers netted the tying goal with 12 seconds remaining, assisted by Isabel Farrell. Just one minute, 15 seconds into overtime, Laura Moore scored the golden goal, assisted by Brooke Holland.

- Farrell leads the conference in shots (32) and is second in assists (3). Moore is tied for third in the GNAC in points (10) and goals (4), and first in game-winning goals (3). Moore is tied for sixth in the nation in game-winners. Huesers is also third in goals (4) and sixth in points (9).

- Goalkeeper Molly Stinson is tied for first in the conference in shutouts (4) and ranks third in goals against average (0.54) and save percentage (.867).

- After a hot start to the season, the Falcons are 5-1-1 overall, but 1-1-1 in the conference. They host No. 5 Western Washington on Thursday and can avenge their first loss of the season against Northwest Nazarene on Saturday.

SIMON FRASER

- The Clan had two very different matches this week, defeating Central Washington, 1-0, on Thursday before getting blown out, 5-0, against Western Washington.

- Against CWU, the Clan shut down its opponent’s offense, allowing just seven shots and two on goal. Priya Sandhu made both saves to earn the shutout. Christina Dickson scored the game-winner in the 66th minute.

- Versus the Vikings, the Clan defense did not hold up, allowing five goals in the first half. Sandhu made eight saves while the offense put up 21 shots with eight on net.

- The Clan had allowed just one goal coming into the match against WWU, ranking as the top defense in the conference. They are tied for second in shutouts (4) and fourth in saves (27).

- Dickson is tied for ninth in the conference in points (7), tied for eighth in points per game (1.17) and tied for seventh in goals (3). Sandhu is tied for third in saves (27) and tied for first in shutouts (4).

- The Clan lost its first match of the season with a record of 3-1-2 overall and 1-1-1 in the GNAC. They host Montana State Billings on Thursday and Concordia on Saturday.

WESTERN OREGON

- The Wolves battled in two close matches, losing 2-1 to Montana State Billings and tying 2-2 against Northwest Nazarene.

- The Wolves are 4-3-1 overall and 0-2-1 in conference. Against MSUB, the Wolves led 1-0 after first half, but gave up two second-half goals to the Yellowjackets to fall 2-1 on the road.

- Allison Sprecher scored the opening goal of the match in the 26th minute, assisted by Makana Pundyke. The Wolves held MSUB to three shots on goal, but two found their way to the back of the net.

- Against NNU, the Wolves took the lead with a 13th minute goal by Vicky Cruz Rosales, her team-leading fourth. After the Crusaders tied it up, Kealakekua Makekau retook the lead in the 54th minute. A last minute goal by NNU sent the match to overtime, where the score would remain 2-2.

- The Wolves boast the second best offense in the conference, with 15 goals scored. Rosales leads with four goals, followed by Pundyke (3) and Sprecher (3).

- Western Oregon will host Central Washington on Saturday and in-state rival Concordia on Tuesday.

WESTERN WASHINGTON

- Since dropping an early non-conference match, the Vikings have won five in a row and are steam-rolling the competition. They picked up back-to-back shutout wins over Saint Martin’s 3-0, and previously undefeated Simon Fraser 5-0.

- The offense took some time to get going against SMU, but took off in the first half with three goals within 10 minutes. Gabriela Pelogi, Savanna Moorehouse and Taylor Hallquist were the goal scorers. Ashley Haden made two saves in the win.

- Against the Clan, Western Washington put up five goals in the first 15 minutes before settling in defensively to pick up the shutout. Elise Aylward had a hat-trick, while Catherine Miles scored two goals with one assist.

- The Vikings remained pat in the NSCAA Top-25, ranking No. 5 in the nation. They lead the GNAC in shots (146), points (44), goals (15), goals against average (0.37) and shutouts (6).

- The Vikings are also fourth in the nation in shutout percentage (.750), eighth in goals against average (.372) and 14th in save percentage (.893).

- Miles ranks tied for first in goals (5) and second in points (11) in the conference. Moorehouse is first in the GNAC in assists (4).

- The Vikings look to continue their hot streak at No. 24 Seattle Pacific on Thursday before hosting Trinity Lutheran on Saturday in non-conference play.