CENTRAL SOCCER DROPS GNAC OPENER TO MSU BILLINGS, 3-1
All Four Goals Scored in Second Half, Pate Tallies First of Season in Loss ELLENSBURG (Sept. 17) -- Central Washington University sophomore
Amy Pate (Federal Way/Thomas Jefferson HS) scored her first goal of the season at the 54th minute, but three unanswered goals by visiting Montana State Billings handed the Wildcats a 3-1 women's soccer loss to the Yellowjackets in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference opener for both teams on Thursday afternoon.
The loss drops the Wildcats to 3-5-0 overall (0-1-0 GNAC), including a 1-5-0 mark against Division II schools. MSU Billings, which earned its first win over CWU in Ellensburg in six all-time meetings, improved to 4-2-1 overall (1-0-0 GNAC).
After a scoreless first half, Pate opened the scoring just 8:45 into the second period after tapping in an initial cross by
Monique Cornier (Puyallup/Emerald Ridge HS). Sophomore
Serena Tomaso (Enumclaw) then tapped it over to Pate for the goal, beating Jordan Fenwick for a 1-0 lead.
More than 17 minutes after the Wildcats' goal, Montana State Billings answered with the first of three goals in an 11-minute span. Samantha Sandau scored off a cross by Kelly Ross at the 71st minute to tie the match, and teammate Jaucelyn Richter gave the Yellowjackets a 2-1 lead just 128 seconds later following a cross by Sandau. Richter then added her second goal of the match -- and her team-leading fifth tally of the season -- at the 82nd minute to give MSUB an insurance goal.
"It's disappointing to have a one-goal lead with 20 minutes left and fall apart defensively," CWU head coach
Michael Farrand said. "We gave up a couple of goals that we maybe shouldn't have given up."
Despite the final score, Central Washington was statistically the dominant team offensively, finishing with a 16-6 shot advantage including 8-1 in the first half. The Wildcats had six shots on goal to the Yellowjackets' five, with Jordan Fenwick making four saves for MSUB and
Amber Easterbrook (Kent/Kentwood HS) making two stops for the Wildcats.
"We had plenty of chances in the first half and should have made it a 2-0 or 3-0 game heading into the break," Farrand said of his team's first half attack. "Give credit to Amy Pate for being able to finish off the initial cross for our goal."
CWU junior
Kaycie Hutchins (Port Orchard/Bellarmine Prep), who entered this week leading the GNAC and ranking among the top 10 in NCAA Division II in assists, was held without a point but led the Wildcats with four shot attempts including two shots on goal. Tomaso and junior
Gwenna Carie (Leavenworth/Cascade HS) had two shots each for Central, with eight other players being credited with one shot attempt apiece.
Richter had four of the Yellowjackets' six shot attempts for the match.
Central Washington will now hit the road for three consecutive matches, including two straight against teams that advanced to the West Regional final last season. The Wildcats face Western Washington on Saturday morning in Bellingham (11 a.m.) before visiting defending national champion and preseason conference favorite Seattle Pacific next Saturday (Sept. 26) at 7:30 p.m. The next home match for CWU is Oct. 8 against Western Oregon.
BOX SCORE: Montana State Billings 3, Central Washington 1
