The trio of eastern Washington-based schools all had pretty good weeks, posting a combined record of 3-1-1. Washington State posted a pair of victories at home while Eastern Washington played to a draw and a win in the midwest. The Gonzaga women netted a draw in a wild contest at home against Boise State before suffering a narrow loss at Seattle Sunday.
Among the highlights for the trio was Chloe Williams (Spokane, WA) becoming Eastern Washington's all-time leader in points with a goal Friday. The junior's 57 points surpassed recent grad Cassie Black, who posted 55 before graduating in 2014. She entered this season as the program's all-time assists leader – she currently has 13 career assists – and she is currently second on the program's all-time goals list with 22, just two behind Black's current mark of 24.
The fantastic start for the 20th ranked Gonzaga men, meanwhile, came to a screeching halt just days after their first appearance in the Top 25 since 2007, dropping a pair of matches away from home against 19th ranked Utah Valley and UC-Riverside.
WOMEN ##############
Wednesday, September 14
Eastern Washington 0 :: 0 Omaha
On the road for their final non-conference games before the Big Sky campaign begins, the Eagles had to settle for a scoreless stalemate at Omaha despite outshooting the hosts 19-10. Freshman keeper Hadley Bezon made four saves for the shutout in her first start. MORE [+]
Thursday, September 15
Seattle University 0 :: 2 Washington State
The Cougars topped the Redhawks thanks to goals in each half from Morgan Weaver. The freshman's opener in the 18th from outside the box took a deflection off a defender en route to the back of the net and the second came in the 81st was off the rebound of an Alysha Overland (Moses Lake, WA / CC Spokane) shot. Ella Dederick made five saves for the shutout. MORE [+]
Boise State 3 :: 3 Gonzaga
The Lady Zags grabbed a two goal lead, but it was not enough in this wild contest. Savanah Van Citters created the first two goals on corner kicks, finding the head of Aliyah Miller in the 35th minute and then connecting with Sarah Carter two minutes into the second half to feed Karley Baggerly (Spokane Shadow WFT) for her fifth goal of the year.
The Broncos, though, clawed back into the match with a Baylee Blaser (Boise, ID) cross finished by Falon Miller in the 64th and then Eva Herrera putting things even with a header on a corner that was volleyed several times in the box before a header from Allegra Weeks (Boise, ID) made its way to Herrera to nod it home in the 73rd [VIDEO]. Van Citters struck again for the Zags to reclaim the lead four minutes later, this time scoring herself with a brilliantly struck free kick from about 28 yards [VIDEO]. They looked headed for victory when Boise State spoiled things with a late 88th minute equalizer when Weeks slipped a ball across the box to Kristina Serres to knot things up one last time. MORE - GU [+] BSU [+] INWsn Pics [+]
UC Irvine 3 :: 0 Idaho State
The visitors scored twice in the opening 11 minutes and added a third midway through the second half to put the match out of doubt. MORE [+]
Friday, September 16
Eastern Washington 3 :: 1 South Dakota
The Eagles fell behind seven minutes into the contest, but junior Chloe Williams (Spokane, WA) scored a milestone goal nine minutes later to tie the game up and become the program's all-time leader in points. Eastern grabbed the lead with less than a minute left in the first half when a corner found its way, uncleared, to Alexis Stephenson (Pasco, WA) for the finish. Stephenson turned provider in the second half, connecting with Kiana Hafferty in the 82nd for an insurance goal from about 30 yards out. MORE [+]
Montana 0 :: 0 San Jose State
The Grizzlies were outshot 15-6 in the contest, relying on goalkeeper Kailey Norman to lead them to the result. She made just two saves, though, as the defense prevented the hosts from getting shots on target. MORE [+]
Sunday, September 18
Boise State 1 :: 2 Washington State
It was another dramatic contest for the Broncos. The Cougars grabbed the lead just over two minutes into the second half when a service into the box by Kailiana Johnson took an errant deflection into the goal. Thursday's hero Kristina Serres pulled Boise State even in the 57th minute when she collected the rebound of her initial blocked shot and put it between the keeper's legs for the equalizer. Alysha Overland (Moses Lake, WA / CC Spokane) provided the heroics again for the Cougars, striking for the winner in the 70th minute. MORE WSU [+] BSU [+]
Gonzaga 0 :: 1 Seattle U
The Bulldogs wrapped up their non-conference slate with a trip west to Seattle, but came up empty in the loss to the Redhawks despite outshooting the hosts 9-6. Allison Seifert made three saves, but the lone goal in the 17th minute proved enough for Seattle as their closest chance, a shot from Mari Kneisel in the 55th, smacked off the crossbar. MORE [+]
Idaho 2 :: 3 CSU-Bakersfield
The Roadrunners grabbed the lead three minutes in and doubled it on a penalty at the 40-minute mark for a commanding advantage. The Vandals, though, punched back with two goals in the span of 37 seconds to pull even in the second half. Elexis Schlossarek converted a penalty in the 64th created when Myah Merino received a ball from Morgan Crosby (Spokane, WA) and was fouled. Schlossarek then fed Kavita Battan for the equalizer in the 65th. With overtime nearing and the Vandals outshooting their hosts in the period, Idaho's hopes of a positive result were dashed on a free kick in the 86th that was flicked past Torell Stewart. MORE [+]
Montana 0 :: 1 Fresno State
The scoring drought reached 342 minutes at the final whistle for the Grizzlies, who gave up the deciding tally in the 28th minute. Kailey Norman made five saves to keep Montana in the contest. MORE [+]
Utah Valley 5 :: 1 Idaho State
The Wolverines grabbed the advantage in the ninth minute and the Bengals kept it close despite being outshot 14-7 in the first half, allowing them to pull even on a Nikolina Musto free kick in the 56th minute. Fifteen minutes later, though, a penalty put UVU back in front and they added three more the rest of the way as they outshot the hosts 17-3 in the second period. MORE [+]
ELSEWHERE: Trailing by two, Jess Kennedy (Spokane, WA) set up Portland's lone goal in a 2-1 loss to Oregon State Friday.
MEN #############
Thursday, September 15
(20) Gonzaga 0 :: 1 Utah Valley (19)
The run of wins over ranked opponents came to and end, as did the Zags unbeaten record, as the hosts tallied on a free kick in the 24th and kept Gonzaga from getting a good look at goal with none of their 13 recorded shots requiring a save. MORE [+]
Sunday, September 18
(20) Gonzaga 1 :: 2 UC-Riverside
The Zags ranking will likely disappear after just one week in the Top 25 following a pair of close-fought road losses. After a scoreless first half, the hosts netted twice in the span of five minutes getting the first after stealing the ball in the 55th and the second just before the hour mark. A Ben White corner that found the head of Austin Giftopoulos five minutes from time gave the Bulldogs late hope, but it was not enough. MORE [+]
###
