It didn’t take long — 3 minutes, 12 seconds, in fact — to disavow anyone of the notion that Western’s women’s soccer team would have a problem scoring this season.
Through three preseason games and one 0-0 home season-opener against Metro State University-Denver, the Vikings had largely outshot their opponents but had not scored.
That changed on Sunday afternoon, Sept. 8, at Western’s Harrington Field, when Western’s Morgan Manalili took a pass from Jane Hmura, deked her way past a few opponents, and beat the keeper for the Vikings’ first goal of the season at the 3:12 mark en route to a 2-0 win over No. 6-ranked University of Colorado-Colorado Springs.
Kansas State senior transfer Lydia Myers, from Colbert, Spokane County, scored after a corner kick by Emily Rice — Myers herself had forced the corner with a soaring shot that Mountain Lions’ keeper Alexa Malaspina had to deflect over the crossbar — to seal the game and a 1-0-1 homestand to start the season.
Travis Connell, in his 22nd season coaching the two-time national champion Vikings, likes what he sees, especially with the team’s defense notching two shutouts in two games and its overall work ethic. In this program, defense jells before offense.
“Scoring is the last thing that comes for our teams,” he said. “Great for it to happen today and we’ll keep going.”
Next up: A California road swing to continue a tough slate of nonconference games against NCAA region rivals Sonoma State Saturday, Sept. 14, and Azusa Pacific Tuesday, Sept. 17.
“We’ll have our hands full,” Connell says. “It forces us to be really good because if we [aren’t], we get punished.”
Men’s soccer team kicking into gear
You’ve got to like senior Andrew Rotter’s efficiency. Of the senior forward’s seven career goals, four have been game-winners. That includes Western’s 1-0 upset of No. 18 Chico State in the Viking home opener Thursday, Sept. 5 that earned him Great Northwest Athletic Conference soccer offensive player of the week honors, his first. From Auburn, Rotter played two seasons for NCAA Division I St. Mary’s College before transferring to Western, where his older brother Christian, played for four years.
The Vikings are 1-0-1 after salvaging a 1-1 tie with region rival Sonoma State that included a Lucas Hakamada header goal from a cross from freshman midfielder and Sehome grad Reiley Buri-Brown. Western plays the last two games of a challenging four-game homestand Thursday, Sept. 12 against No. 3 Cal State LA and Cal State Dominguez Hills Saturday, Sept. 14.
Cross-country season: Can you say ‘repeat’?
Last year: Became the first school in GNAC history to win all six conference team titles (women’s and men’s cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field)
This year: Both teams are overwhelming favorites to repeat as champions by the GNAC preseason coaches poll. And here are 5 things to know:
- Western’s women, the school’s first-ever NCAA West Region Championship-winning team, return six of seven runners from last fall’s three postseason meets. The men return five of six.
- Longtime assistant Ben Stensland, the interim head coach since Pee Wee Halsell’s retirement in fall 2022, was officially named head coach in May. Stensland swept all six GNAC Coach of the Year awards last year.
- All-American Ashley Reeck, a junior from Lake Stevens, and Ila Davis, a senior from Spokane, lead the women as returning all-conference runners; GNAC champion Kevin McDermott and all-region runner Ryan Clough, two seniors from Port Orchard, lead the men.
- The Vikings have great memories of sweeping the GNAC Cross Country Championships last year in Anchorage. This year, they don’t have to go so far — Western will host the GNACs at Sudden Valley Golf Course Oct. 26.
- Locals on the roster: Laura Halsell, junior, Bellingham’s Squalicum High School; Emmy Kroontje, junior, Lynden High.
Bits and pieces
Courtney Moeller was announced Tuesday, Sept. 10 as the head coach to Western’s nine-time and defending national champion rowing club. She officially started her duties Sept. 1, taking over from John Fuchs, who built the program into a powerhouse over 26 seasons. The racing season begins next March.
The Viking volleyball team faces three nationally ranked teams this week at the CWU Invitational in Ellensburg — No. 8 Cal State San Bernadino Thursday, Sept. 12, No. 1 Cal State LA Friday, Sept. 13, and No. 21 Cal Poly Pomona Saturday, Sept. 14. After beating Sonoma State in straight sets in the Viking home opener Sept. 5, the young, senior-free team went 1-2 in the WWU Invitational, swept by both Metro State University-Denver and San Francisco State.
The Vikings held second- and third-set leads against No. 7 MSU-Denver before falling, 25-14, 25-22, 25-20. The 2016 and 2022 women’s soccer teams will be recognized as WWU Hall of Famers at halftime of the Oct. 5 game against Western Oregon. Tickets for a private pregame Hall of Fame induction ceremony and tailgate can be bought through the Foundation for WWU & Alumni — WWU Athletics.
BEST BETS
Thursday, Sept. 12, 7 p.m.: WWU men’s soccer vs. No. 5 Cal State LA, Bellingham
Saturday, Sept. 14, 7 p.m.: WWU men’s soccer vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills, Bellingham; Cross Country at Green River Invitational, Fort Steilacoom Park, Lakewood (season-opener)
Thursday, Sept. 19, 7 p.m.: WWU volleyball vs. Alaska Fairbanks, Bellingham
Friday, Sept. 20: WWU women’s golf at St. Martin’s University Grisham Memorial, The Home Course, DuPont
Sunday, Sept. 22, 1 p.m.: WWU women’s soccer vs. Colorado School of Mines, Bellingham
Tickets. See wwuvikings.com/Tickets or in person one hour prior to game time.
Parking. Free for sports. For volleyball, lot 19G for general audience; 9G for season ticket holders. For soccer, C lots on south campus. See the map at wwu.edu/parking.
Can’t make it? Stream it
All home games are streamed via a live and free YouTube webcast. Links:
If you have a smart TV, search for “WWU Athletics” on YouTube.
We want to hear from you: Have a WWU sports-related news tip or interesting item for this notebook, or a good story idea? We’re all ears. Send it to newstips@cascadiadaily.com, subject line “WWU sports notebook.”
Meri-Jo Borzilleri is a freelance journalist whose stories have appeared in Cascadia Daily News, The Seattle Times, New York Times and ESPN.com, among other outlets. She was a former sports reporter for the Miami Herald, Colorado Springs Gazette and Hilton Head Island Packet.
Meri-Jo Borzilleri is a freelance journalist and former 20-year sports reporter.
