Wednesday, November 5, 2014

INW DII-III College Recap – Week Ten: GNAC women's playoffs set, Whitworth men move back atop NWC

Among the Division II action this week in the GNAC, the ladies wrapped things up with Central Washington and MSU-Billings moving onto the postseason. The Wildcats blanked Saint Martin's but narrowly fell to Seattle Pacific while MSU-Billings swept the weekend to keep their position in second, downing Simon Fraser easily and rallying to top Northwest Nazarene in overtime. On the men's side MSUB split on the weekend and second-place NNU grabbed a pair of wins to solidify their resume, topping second-ranked Seattle Pacific.

In the Northwest Conference, the Whitworth men went into Saturday's game against league-leading Willamette thinking it was the must-win game in order to grab control of the race for the championship. After a scoreless stalemate, however, it was Sunday's action that vaulted them to the top of the table as Willamette and fellow contender Puget Sound both were upset while the Pirates rolled to a big win at Linfield.

Here is a rundown of the area schools and their conferences as well as how players from the Inland Northwest performed around the nation in the past week.

October 27 - November 2 | Upcoming games PT & conference matches unless noted (NL)

GREAT NORTHWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE - WOMEN

Thursday, October 30 

Saint Martin's 0-2 Central Washington
Mackenzie Nolte propelled the Wildcats to the victory. Her well-paced shot in the 23rd minute was met by the fists of the keeper, allowing the rebound to fall to Kellin Farrand (Ellensburg, WA), who nodded it into the goal. Nolte did get her goal five minutes into the second half when she beat the keeper in a one-on-one off a ball from Bailey Martoncik. Kayla Lipston had to work for her shutout, making seven saves.  MORE [+]

Western Washington 2-0 Northwest Nazarene 
An own goal left the Crusaders chasing after just 80 seconds and a corner kick led to the second goal in the 69th minute for the Vikings.  MORE [+]

Simon Fraser 0-3 MSU-Billings
It didn't take long for the Yellowjackets with a long ball from Jennifer Johnson leaving Chelsea Shuman (Kalispell, MT) with a defender and the keeper to beat three minutes in for the opener. A missed clearance four minutes before the break allowed Jessica Spang (Billings, MT) to double the advantage before intermission and Shuman added her second in the 52nd from about eight yards courtesy of Alisa Sagdahl. Krystal Daniels made two saves in the shutout.  MORE [+]

Western Oregon 0-3 Seattle Pacific 

Saturday, November 1

Seattle Pacific 1-0 Central Washington 
Even on shots, corners and saves, the only difference was the Falcons' winner in the 63rd minute of the contest that was a fantastic play by Hannah Huesers, who beat two defenders during her 50-yard drive.  MORE [+]

MSU-Billings 3-2 (OT) Northwest Nazarene 
After falling behind by two, Shuman came to the Yellowjackets' rescue. Lexi Fesenbek led the charge for the Crusaders, converting from the spot in the fourth minute after Nicole Nsa was pushed down in the area. She turned provider in the 26th, delivering a corner that found Nsa for a chip shot. The rally from the visitors started in the 75th minute with Shuman scoring off Sagdahl's cross that soared over the keeper. Sagdahl then found Katlyn Lokay in the 84th to even matters. Lokay would also provide the winner, scoring from about 20 yards out on a ball from Shuman in the 105th minute.  MSUB MORE [+] - NNU MORE [+]  

Western Oregon 0-2 Saint Martin's 
Kari Inch (Ephrata, WA) doubled the lead in the 76th minute for the Saints.

Western Washington 3-0 Simon Fraser 
Colleen Lindsay (Spokane, WA) set up the final goal for the Vikings.

Final Standings: X-Western Washington 11-0-3... X-MSU-Billings 9-3-2... X-Seattle Pacific 9-3-2... X-Central Washington 7-4-3... Western Oregon 4-6-4... Northwest Nazarene 3-10-1... Saint Martin's 3-10-1... Simon Fraser 2-12-0... [Season ends Nov 1 | Four playoff berths, X-clinched]

GNAC TOURNAMENT (@ Tukwila, WA)

Semifinals - Thursday, November 6
3 Seattle Pacific v 2 MSU-Billings 4:00
4 Central Washington v 1 Western Washington 7:00

Championship - Saturday, November 8 - 1:00

GREAT NORTHWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE - MEN

Thursday, October 30 

Saint Martin's 0-2 MSU-Billings 
The Yellowjackets nearly claimed the lead three minutes before the break on a penalty, but Colin Ralston's attempt was saved. Instead, they took the advantage five minutes into the second half when a 40-yard Sam Butterworth free kick found the head of Rhys Lambert. Thorge Jess capped the victory with a header off a Julian Toenges cross with just 22 seconds left in the contest. Tom Lohmann made five saves for the shutout.  MORE [+]

Seattle Pacific 0-1 Northwest Nazarene 
Second to the Falcons in the table, the Crusaders registered an upset that may bolster their hopes at an invite to the national tournament. After a handball in the box, Fredy Razo converted for the winning tally in the 26th minute with Alfredo Ontiveros making four saves for the shutout.  MORE [+]

South Dakota Mines 0-4 Western Washington
Mary 1-3 Simon Fraser 

Saturday, November 1 

Seattle Pacific 1-0 MSU-Billings 
Neither team had much luck in finding the frame as the Falcons' winner in the 65th was one of two on target against Lohmann while at the other end Cody Lang (Spokane, WA) only had to make one save for the clean sheet.  MORE [+]

Saint Martin's 1-4 Northwest Nazarene 
Confidence running high after the upset, the hosts cruised to the victory with three tallies before the break. Erik Anderson (Boise, ID) scored the opener 23 minutes in on a ball from Rene Duevel and doubled the lead in the 39th after Luke Broz stole the ball and combined with Steven Garcia (Meridian, ID) to set up the tally. A long ball from Juan Perez put Michael Mollay (Boise, ID / Walla Walla CC) behind the defense in the 42nd minute, and Garcia found the head of Razo in the 75th. Ontiveros' bid for a shutout was literally spoiled at the very last second.  MORE [+]

Mary 1-6 Western Washington 
South Dakota Mines 0-3 Simon Fraser 

Standings: Seattle Pacific 12-1-0... Northwest Nazarene 10-2-1... Simon Fraser 8-3-2... Western Washington 7-5-1... MSU-Billings 6-6-1... Mary 3-9-1... Saint Martin's 3-10-0... South Dakota Mines 0-13-0  [Season ends Nov 8 | No conference tournament]

Coming Up - ** FINAL GAMES ** 
::: Saturday, November 8
Northwest Nazarene @ MSU-Billings 2:00
South Dakota Mines @ Mary 1:00
Saint Martin's @ Seattle Pacific 2:00
Western Washington @ Simon Fraser 7:30

DIVISION II NOTES

Malia Maack (Spokane, WA) and Allison Jordan (Spokane, WA) led the defense again for another shutout win by New Mexico Highlands as they beat UC Colorado Springs 1-0 Friday, but Regis prevailed Sunday 2-1 on a goal and assist from Maggie Saras (Boise, ID).

NORTHWEST CONFERENCE - MEN

Saturday, November 1

Whitman 2-1 Linfield
Park Harmon beat a defender in the area in the 16th minute to find the back of the net, though the keeper got a piece of it on the way. Less than a minute later the hosts tied but back up when they scored off a save from Niko Contos (Boise, ID), who made 11 saves in the win. Eric Conte put away a deflected corner in the 58th for the winning tally.  MORE [+]

Whitworth 0-0 Willamette 
The Pirates outshot the hosts 20-9, but the Bearcats held on for the draw to remain in first - for the day - and post just the second instance of Whitworth being shutout this season. Timmy Costa needed to make just one save for the Bucs, who actually dropped to third with Puget Sound winning.  MORE [+]

Puget Sound 1-0 George Fox 
Pacific Lutheran 3-0 Pacific

Sunday, November 2

Whitman 2-1 Willamette 
The league-leaders opened the scoring in the 41st minute on a ball that deflected en route to goal, but the Missionaries pulled even a minute later when Daniel Kim scored on a ball from Riley Paul. In the second half Paul scored his own to snare the victory, taking a ball from Noah Cavanaugh and scored from about 28 yards in the 59th minute to register the upset.  MORE [+]

Whitworth 5-0 Linfield 
Shortly after the hosts saw a player sent off with his second yellow in the 32nd minute, the Pirates broke through in the 33rd and quickly pushed the lead to five over the span of the next 17 minutes of the contest. Robby Ubben found Rylan Berriman inside the six for the opener and Karl Muelheims (Spokane, WA) put in the rebound of Jonah Snyder's saved shot in the 42nd. A minute later, a long cross from Tyler Clarke was slightly redirected by Sam Engle in the box en route to Kash Choudhary to make it three before the break. Snyder got a goal of his own four minutes into the second half on a ball from Johnny Thayer and two minutes later defender Matt Bray scored a rare goal with help from Caleb Bia on a free kick play. The victory put the Bucs in first with the two league-leaders losing elsewhere.  MORE [+]

Puget Sound 2-3 Pacific 
Three minutes after the Loggers cut the deficit to one, Ian Farley (Spokane, WA) answered with what proved to be the game-winner for the hosts.

Pacific Lutheran 4-1 George Fox

Standings: Whitworth 9-1-3... Willamette 9-2-2... Puget Sound 9-3-1... Pacific Lutheran 7-6-0... Whitman 6-7-0... Pacific 4-8-1... Linfield 4-8-1... George Fox 0-13-0 [Season ends Nov 8 | No conference tournament]

Coming Up - ** FINAL GAMES ** 
::: Friday, November 7
George Fox @ Pacific 7:00
::: Saturday, November 8
Whitworth @ Whitman 1:30
Linfield @ Willamette 1:30
Pacific Lutheran @ Puget Sound 1:30

NORTHWEST CONFERENCE - WOMEN

Wednesday, October 29

Puget Sound 1-3 Pacific Lutheran 

Saturday, November 1

Whitman 1-1 Lewis & Clark
The hosts scored off a rebounded save in the 64th and appeared headed to the win when Danielle Audino hit the equalizer from about 30 yards out. Outshot 17-7, the Missionaries stayed in the game with seven saves from Haley Case.  MORE [+]

Whitworth 2-1 (OT) Willamette 
The last place Bearcats, whose only win this year was at Whitworth, put up a fight against the burgeoning Bucs, but the Pirates put two on the board for only the second time this season. The hosts got on the board in the 14th minute when Kinsey Keene (Eagle, ID) set up a shot from about 18 yards. Megan McCart (East Wenatchee, WA) evened things up four minutes into the second half with a little help as her cross from the right toward goal went in off the keeper. On the first shot of overtime, Katie Bischoff (Spokane, WA) scored on a free kick from about 20 yards out on the left side of the area, beating the keeper near post.  MORE [+]

Pacific Lutheran 2-1 (OT) Pacific 
George Fox 1-4 Linfield 

Sunday, November 2

Whitman 0-0 Willamette 
The Missionaries were outshot again, but Case only needed four saves this time out as the match went the distance between the two.  MORE [+]

Whitworth 1-0 Lewis & Clark 
The Pirates surprised the Boxers to finish a road sweep in Oregon. Christiana McCormick scored on a broken play when a shot was deflected, allowing her to knock it in en route to goal as a defender and the keeper were crashing in on her. Andrea Stump made eight saves for the shutout.  MORE [+]

George Fox 0-1 Pacific 
Sydney Virgen (Richland, WA) scored the winner in the 86th minute to give the Boxers the victory.

Puget Sound 1-0 Linfield 

Standings: Pacific Lutheran 12-2-0... Puget Sound 11-3-0... Linfield 10-4-0... Lewis & Clark 7-5-2... Whitman 6-5-4... Whitworth 6-9-0... Pacific 3-10-1... George Fox 3-10-1... Willamette 1-11-2 [Season ends Nov 8 | No conference tournament]

Coming Up - ** FINAL GAMES ** 
:::  Friday, November 7
George Fox @ Whitman 11:00
Pacific Lutheran @ Willamette 11:00
Pacific @ Puget Sound 11:00
Lewis & Clark @ Linfield 11:00
::: Saturday, November 8
George Fox @ Whitworth 11:00
Pacific @ Willamette 11:00
Pacific Lutheran @ Linfield 11:00
Lewis & Clark @ Puget Sound 11:00

««« Action Photos: Gerald Barnhart »»»

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