Women's Soccer | 9/29/2016 6:07:00 PM
Box Score ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Sept. 29) – A four goal explosion paced the Central Washington University soccer team to its 4-1 victory over Western Oregon University. The Wildcats are now 7-2-0 overall and 2-1-0 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference games. Western Oregon falls to 4-5-0 overall and 1-3-0 in the GNAC.
"We have struggled with Western Oregon," CWU Head Coach
Michael Farrand said. "They have been solid against us for a number of years. For us to get this result, at home, is a big deal because we haven't won at home yet. We put a good game plan together and I thought the first half we played extremely well. Definitely created some solid chances."
Less than 20 seconds into the first half,
Whitney Lowe opened the scoring chances. Lowe's drive was parried by the Wolves' freshman keeper Caitlin Kastelic.
Keilin Farrand's second effort went wide right and a was a brief respite for Western Oregon.
"Even from the very beginning of the game we created two straight chances in the first five minutes that could have gone in and set the tone for the rest of the way," Farrand added. "We missed a little bit and then had to struggle back through it. We had another game of having four goals with four different goal scorers. We keep spreading the ball around and finding different ways to score. I thought the girls did really well with the game plan in the first half."
Seven shots from Central Washington later
Reilly Retz drove near the six and was fouled by a Western Oregon defender and a penalty was given. Retz's penalty went to the upper right corner, but careened off the post and slid across the goal line before trickling across for the Wildcats' first goal of the afternoon.
Central tallied again in the 41
st minute.
Kaysha Darcy reeled in a loose ball on the right wing and stepped towards center. The midfielder dribbled past a trio of defenders before letting loose a shot from 15 yards out. Her shot eluded Kastelic for a 2-0 CWU lead.
"Our vid-swap has been very good for us," Farrand noted. "Our editing has been very good for us. Tarin has done a great job of putting our game stuff together for us. We have been able to look at game film before and we have come up with a plan before every game. The technology behind us between last year and this year has been really fun for us to use in terms of teaching the girls. We identified some spaces inside what Western Oregon has done over the last few games. Kaysha's goal is a great example of that space being created and attacking it."
Four minutes into the second half,
Molly Mortensen notched her second of the season. Mortensen took in a ball from Farrand and headed it towards the far post and past Kastelic.
The Wolves erased their zero in the 62
nd minute. Kaili Brundage dribbled in past the Wildcats' defense and slotted home a shot from 10 yards out.
Michaela Wallace added her first goal of the season in the 74
th minute. The sophomore received a pass from
Allie Bohnett and drove home a shot from close range.
Central finished with a season high 29 shots. The Wildcats defense held the Wolves to just 10 shots, with seven coming in the second 45 minutes of action.
Emily Holt made two saves. The Wildcats took eight corners to Western Oregon's one.
"I think it mainly reflects our style of play," Farrand acknowledged of his team's offense. "We talk about playing together and playing in units together. So far this year, it hasn't mattered who's been in. Those girls that has had the opportunity to play and put themselves in a position to score have taken advantage of it and scored. I think it is good for us in terms of responsibility and what the game is for each other. I think we honor each other when we are scoring like this and I think we respect each other by giving girls a chance to be successful and letting them be successful together."
The Wildcats are back in action on Saturday (Oct. 1) against Montana State Billings. Kickoff is scheduled for noon in Ellensburg.
