With a pair of doubleheaders set up for Friday and Saturday, the opening day slate for the NWAC East was light on the number of games, but not in action as there was a dramatic turnaround at Columbia Basin and history in Walla Walla for Yakima Valley College.
WOMEN'S RESULTS
Tuesday, September 4
Chemeketa 5-4 Blue Mountain [NL] :: Kayla Guzman and Kiana Corpuz each scored twice for the Timberwolves in another non-league tune-up.
Wednesday, September 5
Yakima Valley 4-3 Walla Walla :: In a stunner, the Yaks posted four goals on the road against the longtime divisional powerhouse Warriors before the hosts got on the board, registering just their second-ever victory over Walla Walla and marking just the third time they had not lost in the all-time series. Natalie Wright put YVC on the board four minutes in and after holding the narrow lead for a lengthy stretch they began adding to it in the second half. Harley Hendry (Hauser, ID) scored at the hour mark with Courtney Handlen (Pocatello, ID) adding a third in the 66th and Sessi Allot a crucial penalty in the 78th. The only blight on the contest for the Yaks from that point was that they gave up three goals in the final six minutes. Caitlin Crist scored in the 81st and 90th with Victoria Higley making it a one-goal difference in stoppage time. The result snapped YVC's five-game losing streak dating back to their 1-1 draw at Walla Walla in 2015 and was their first win against the Warriors since they registered their first win in 14-plus attempts (2008 data incomplete) via a 1-0 decision in 2014 at home.
Wenatchee Valley 1-3 Columbia Basin :: After nearly an hour of scoreless action Rebecca Wheeler broke things open in the 59th minute for the Hawks. Hannah Johnson (Prosser, WA) made it two in the 65th minute and just two minutes later Wheeler helped push it to three when she found Megan Haugen (Richland, WA). The Knights would spoil the shutout for Kaile Kauanui, who had five saves, with a goal from Erin Aarnold (Wenatchee, WA) in the 73rd.
HIGHLIGHTS: @CBCAthletics men and women soccer clubs beat Wenatchee yesterday. @cbchawks_soccer scores 3 times after the break. The men score 5 times after half. #2ndHalfSurge @IvoryKalie pic.twitter.com/SSRHWDqaFw— Alan Hoshida (@AHoshidaSports) September 6, 2018
Games Coming Up...
Friday - Treasure Valley @ North Idaho
Friday - Blue Mountain @ Spokane
Saturday - Treasure Valley @ Spokane
Saturday - Blue Mountain @ North Idaho
Saturday - Wenatchee Valley @ Walla Walla
Saturday - Yakima Valley @ Columbia Basin
MEN'S RESULTS
Wenatchee Valley 2-5 Columbia Basin :: The Knights held the lead twice in the contest on the road, but in the final 26 minutes it all unravelled as the Hawks scored four unanswered goals to run away with the season-opening victory to start off NWAC East play. Sanna Baldeh netted the lone goal of the first half and just seconds after Gonzolo Frausto (Sunnyside, WA) put things level Johan Espinoza (Wenatchee, WA) stunned the hosts with an immediate reclamation of the lead. Frausto, though, tallied another equalizer in the 65th, and two minutes later Oscar Cortez (Pasco, WA) put the Hawks in front. Arbey Guerrero (Ephrata, WA) made it a two goal cushion in the 74th and a minute later Cortez hit Brian Licona (Sunnyside, WA) to lock it up.
Games Coming Up...
Friday - Treasure Valley @ North Idaho
Friday - Blue Mountain @ Spokane
Saturday - Treasure Valley @ Spokane
Saturday - Blue Mountain @ North Idaho
Saturday - Wenatchee Valley @ Walla Walla
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