The Western Washington University’s women’s soccer team battled the wind and rain en route to a 1-0 victory over Great Northwest Athletic Conference rival Simon Fraser University on Saturday, Oct. 19. The Vikings sit atop the GNAC table with a 6-0-2 record in conference play and a 7-2-4 record overall.
The sole score of the game came in the 79th minute when fourth-year defender Halle Noel fired a cross that found first-year forward Emily Holdridge in the middle of the box. Holdridge redirected the ball into the back of the net, giving Western the lead with only 10 minutes left to play.
The strike was Holdridge’s first goal of her collegiate career.
“It’s great. Just being a freshman and your first goal is crazy, and I have to thank the coaching staff and every girl around me,” Holdridge said. “They made me score today.”
Both teams struggled to get anything going on offense in the first half, with the Vikings failing to capitalize on multiple early opportunities. The Red Leafs fared even worse and did not record a shot until the 50th minute of the game.
Western head coach Travis Connell credits the Simon Fraser side for keeping the Vikings’ early attacks at bay.
“They don’t give up a lot, so we knew there weren't going to be a lot of chances. We did a great job of creating the early ones, but when they didn’t go in, you were like ‘Oh, those might have been our chances,’” Connell said. “But they believed in themselves and got that goal in the second half.”
As the second half wore on, the frustration of both sides manifested into increasingly physical play and frequent penalty whistles.
In the 67th minute, a foul in the Simon Fraser box gave Western an opportunity at a penalty kick, but third-year midfielder and forward Morgan Manalili’s shot was thwarted by a spectacular save by Simon Fraser goalkeeper Sarah Loewen.
Despite the growing sense of tension on the Western side, the Vikings continued to “compartmentalize” and stay focused according to Connell.
“I just keep going. 100 percent, all the time, no stopping, working hard,” Holdridge said. “Focusing in on what’s important, and that’s winning.”
Moments after Holdridge scored to take the lead, a red card given to Simon Fraser’s Loewen effectively put the game away for Western.
Festivities for the evening didn’t stop at soccer, as WWU Athletics put on a Latine Heritage Night celebration complete with food and dance. Both teams’ lineups were also announced in Spanish prior to the match.
The WWU Latine Student Union held a fundraiser during the event, selling arroz con leche to match attendees.
“It’s really important to us to not only be involved with the community that we have in our club but also with everyone who might not know about our club and might want to come,” said Ashley Campuzano, an LSU co-chair. “Building that community is really important for us.”
Having won their fourth game in a row and retaken the top spot in the GNAC standings, the Vikings will return to action on Thursday night, Oct. 24, against Western Oregon University at Robert S. Harrington Field.
Jonah Billings (he/him) is a Sports and Recreation reporter for The Front. He is a second-year Western student and is majoring in journalism with a minor in history. In addition, he is a member of Western’s varsity cross-country and track and field teams. He enjoys running, reading and spending time with friends. You can reach him at jonahbillings.thefront@gmail.com.
