Thursday, November 5, 2015

BURNABY, B.C. - Western Washington is heading to their fourth GNAC Women’s Soccer Championships final in as many years with a 4-0 victory over Montana State Billings on Terry Fox Field on Thursday. The Vikings will face their in state rival Seattle Pacific for the third straight year in the championship match.

The GNAC’s top regular season offensive and defensive team continued where it left off with another dominant performance. Caitlyn Jobanek and Anna DeWeirdt each scored two goals for the Vikings, who extended their undefeated streak to 16 matches.

Jobanek’s match opening goal in the 14th minute proved to be the game-winner. Emily Webster started the play on a corner kick, sending the ball on net where MSUB goal keeper Chloe Hopps saved the initial shot, but ball popped into the air where Jobankek was waiting, heading it in for her third goal of the year.

DeWeirdt scored the second goal of the match on a cross in front of the net from Gabriela Pelogi. DeWeirdt hammered home the nice feed in the 63rd minute, extending the Vikings’ lead to 2-0.

Jobanek and DeWeirdt then scored back-to-back in the final four minutes to seal the match. Jobanek’s second came off a rebound from Hopps in the 87th minute, and DeWeirdt arched the fourth of the match from 25 yards out in the 89th minute.

Western Washington controlled the flow of the match throughout, owning a 24-8 shot advantage and 11-5 on goal. Hopps made seven saves while WWU goalkeeper Ashley Haden made five saves.

Montana State Billings top opportunities came moments after the Vikings took a 2-0 lead. The Yellowjackets best chance of the match came just seconds later on Brittney Greenback’s shot from 20 yards out that sailed above Haden and hit the crossbar.

Kari Kastelic followed up with another great chance for MSUB in the 71st minute. Haden made an excellent save on the ball, diving to her left after being one-on-one with Kastelic. The Yellowjackets continued to battle, but eventually ran out of steam against the persistent Vikings’ defense.

In the first half, The Vikings outshot the Yellowjackets 10-2 and 4-2 in shots on net. Western Washington also had five corner kicks.

With a 1-0 lead, Jobanek had the Vikings second best opportunity of the first half in the 40th minute off a free-kick from 20-yards out. DeWeirdt sent the ball in front from the right side, where Jobanek sent another header towards the goal, this time just above the net.

Hopps made four saves in the first half, with her best coming in the 44th minute on a 25-yard boot by defender Taylor Hallquist. Hopps made a jumping save on the ball that was heading for the top-right corner of the net.

Western Washington will face Seattle Pacific in the championship match with an automatic berth to the NCAA Division II Championships on the line. The two teams meet in the GNAC finals for the third straight season. Seattle Pacific won both previous matches, with each ending in a penalty kick shootout.