Wednesday, October 5, 2022

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE
Payton Lindell, Central Washington
D • 5-6 • Freshman • Washougal, Wash.

Lindell scored the game-winning goal against Saint Martin’s on Saturday to give the Wildcats their first win of the conference season. The tally was the first of her collegiate career and allowed Central Washington to rise two places in the GNAC standings.

Also Nominated: Savanna Herz (NNU), Chloe Gellhaus (SPU), Jazz Dev (Simon Fraser), Tera Ziemer (WWU)

DEFENSIVE
Olivia Holdenried, Western Oregon
GK • 5-7 • Sophomore • Windsor, Calif.

Holdenried recorded a pair of shutouts in net in two  0-0 draws for the Wolves last week. She made two saves on Thursday against Central Washington before adding three more stops on Saturday against Northwest Nazarene. She is tied for second in the conference with four shutouts.

Also Nominated: Kassandra Jaggard (CWU), Clare Keenan (MSUB), Alexis Montoya (NNU), Mercedes Cullen (SPU), Sarah Loewen (SFU), Claire Henninger (WWU)

AROUND THE GNAC

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington extended its points-earning streak to three matches last week, battling to a 0-0 draw at Western Oregon on Thursday before taking its first win of the conference season in Lacey, 2-1, over Saint Martin’s on Friday.

• On Saturday, the Wildcats surrendered a goal in the third minute and Jordan Bartlow responded for CWU in the 20th minute to equalize. Freshman defender Payton Lindell scored the game-winning goal for the Wildcats just before the half in the 41st minute with the first goal of her collegiate career.

• Lindell’s game-winner earned her the GNAC Offensive Player of the Week Award.

• Central Washington will continue its road trip on Thursday at Seattle Pacific and Saturday at Northwest Nazarene.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings dropped a pair of 2-0 matches on the road last week at Western Washington on Thursday and Simon Fraser on Saturday.

• Goalkeeper Clare Keenan made 10 saves in Bellingham against 33 shots on Thursday and eight saves on 21 shots on Saturday in Burnaby. She leads the conference and ranks 45th in Division II with 50 saves.

• The Yellowjackets will wrap up this stretch of road games with a match in Nampa on Thursday against Northwest Nazarene before facing Seattle Pacific on Saturday.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene extended its unbeaten GNAC streak with a 1-0 win at Saint Martin’s on Thursday and a 0-0 draw at Western Oregon on Saturday.

• On Thursday, the Nighthawks battled in a close match with the Saints. The shots were level with 13 per side and SMU only put one more shot on frame than NNU. Savanna Herz broke through the stalemate in the 32nd minute off an assist from Magda Wronski.

• On Saturday, Northwest Nazarene narrowly outshot Western Oregon 10-8 but neither side could find the back of the net. Alexis Montoya recorded the shutout with a five-save performance in net.

• The results this week extended the Nighthawks' current unbeaten streak to nine matches.

• The Nighthawks moved up two places in the United Soccer Coaches West Region Poll to No. 6.

• Northwest Nazarene will return home this week to face Montana State Billings on Thursday and Central Washington on Saturday.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s dropped a pair of matches at home last week with a 1-0 defeat to Northwest Nazarene on Thursday and a 2-1 loss against Central Washington on Saturday.

• The Saints fired off 13 shots against the Nighthawks, with four on goal, Thursday but couldn’t find the back of the net.

• On Saturday, SMU opened the scoring early when Maria Pagnotta netted her team-leading third goal of the season in the third minute.

• Ava Kephart started her first game of the season for the Saints on Saturday and made four saves in net against 11 shots.

• Saint Martin’s will wrap up its homestand with a match against No. 14 Western Washington on Thursday and Western Oregon on Saturday.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Seattle Pacific split its week on the road, taking a 1-0 victory at Simon Fraser on Thursday before dropping a 1-0 match to Western Washington on Saturday.

• On Thursday, the Falcons and Red Leafs were evenly matched in scoring chances, each putting four shots on goal. Chloe Gellhaus proved to be the difference maker for SPU, netting the game-winning goal in the 20th minute. Gellhaus is tied for second in the GNAC with eight points.

• Mercedes Cullen earned the shutout in net for the SPU. It was her fourth of the season and ties her for second in the conference with Olivia Holdenried. Cullen made eight saves in Seattle Pacific’s match against Western Washington on Saturday.

• The Falcons stayed put at No. 7 in the United Soccer Coaches West Region Poll.

• Seattle Pacific will return to Interbay Stadium this week for matches against Central Washington on Thursday and Montana State Billings on Saturday.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser played its first home match since August on Thursday, dropping a close 1-0 match with Seattle Pacific before bouncing back for a 2-0 win over Montana State Billings on Saturday.

• The Red Leafs narrowly outshot the Falcons 8-7 but couldn’t find the back of the net. Sarah Loewen made three saves in net against SPU. She ranks fourth in the GNAC with a .812 save percentage.

• Simon Fraser came back on Thursday and dominated, outshooting the Yellowjackets 21-9 with 11 shots on goal. Jenieva Musico scored the game-winner in the 19th minute in a play that developed from a corner kick. Kaiden Sherwood followed it up with another set-piece goal when she put a deflected shot into the back of the net just before halftime.

• Loewen recorded the shutout for the Red Leafs with a five-save performance.

• Simon Fraser will continue its homestand this week, facing Western Oregon on Thursday before No. 14 Western Washington comes to town on Saturday.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon couldn’t find the back of the net last week, but also didn’t allow a goal in a pair of 0-0 draws at home against Central Washington on Thursday and Northwest Nazarene on Saturday.

• On Thursday, the Wolves outshot the Wildcats 10-3 putting six shots on frame led by Savannah Taylor who fired four shots with two on goal.

• On Saturday, Western Oregon stifled the second-highest-scoring team in the conference, allowing 10 shots but denying Northwest Nazarene any goals.

• Olivia Holdenried was in net for both matches, recording her third and fourth shutouts of the season. Her five-save week and pair of clean sheets earned her GNAC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

• Western Oregon will be back in action on Thursday when it travels north to face Simon Fraser in Burnaby and Saint Martin’s on Saturday.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
 • After two weeks tied at the top of the standings, Western Washington stands alone in first after taking wins last week from Montana State Billings, 2-0, on Thursday and Seattle Pacific, 1-0, on Saturday.

• The Vikings offense was in fine form on Thursday, tallying a total of 33 shots with 12 on goal while the defense limited the Yellowjackets to just three shots.

• Freshman forward Emily Rice opened the scoring in the third minute, converting off of a penalty kick from 29 yards out for her second goal of the season. Tera Ziemer added an insurance marker in the second half to secure the win.

• In their first meeting since the West Region Final last year, the Vikings came up victorious against Seattle Pacific on Saturday. Western Washington put 10 shots on goal but both teams battled to a stalemate until the 79th minute when Dayana Diaz put the game-winner in the back of the net.

• After remaining undefeated in GNAC play with a 5-0-1 record (6-1-3 overall), the Vikings shot up the United Soccer Coaches to No. 14 in Division II and No. 2 in the West Region.

• Western Washington will be on the road this week, facing Saint Martin’s in Lacey on Thursday before taking on Simon Fraser in Burnaby on Saturday.