Oct. 20, 2012

Box Score

NAMPA, Id. - Midfielder Conner Pichette (Fr., Tacoma/Wilson) scored the game-winning goal in the 10th minute of overtime as Western Washington University snapped a seven-game road losing streak dating back to 2011 with a 4-3 win at Northwest Nazarene University on Saturday afternoon in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference men's soccer contest at the NNU Soccer Field.

The Vikings, who entered the game 0-5-0 in road games this season, improved to 6-7-2 overall and 4-5-2 in the GNAC. They scored three goals in the first half, but NNU countered with three goals in the second period to send the contest into extra minutes.

NNU, which is second in the league standings, fell to 7-4-4 overall and 6-2-3 in conference play. The Crusaders had a 10-game unbeaten streak (7-0-3) end Thursday in a 1-0 loss to league-leading Simon Fraser.

Pichette's game-ending score came eight seconds before the break in overtime. A shot by Sujinda Dangvan (Vancouver/Mountain View) was blocked and Pichette collected the rebound and scored his first collegiate goal.

Justin Moore (Sr., Port Orchard/South Kitsap) gave the Vikings an early 2-0 lead, scoring unassisted 19 seconds into the contest and in the fifth minute on a cross from Bailey Martin (Jr., Tacoma/Stadium). Those goals gave him six for the season, tying him for the team lead.

WWU's Andrew Weishaar (Jr., Puyallup) scored his fifth goal of the campaign in the 26th minute, heading in a free kick off the foot of Kurtis Pederson (Fr., Puyallup/Bellarmine Prep), for a 3-0 halftime lead.

In the second half, NNU's Stephen Marshall scored twice on penalty kicks and Evan McNiel headed in another on a cross by John DiLulo to tie the game at 3-3.

"We played a great first half and a poor second half," said WWU coach Travis Connell (14th year). "I think that we were motivated after our overtime loss Thursday (at Montana State Billings) and that gave us a little extra effort needed to win."

The Vikings travel to Seattle Pacific on Thursday (7 p.m.), Oct. 25, for a GNAC counter. It is the third of five straight road games for WWU to end its season.

Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012 NNU Soccer Field, Nampa, Id.

Western Washington 4, Northwest Nazarene 3 - Overtime

Scoring - 1.WWU, Justin Moore (unassisted), 0:19; 2. WWU, Justin Moore (Bailey Martin), 4:59; 3. WWU, Andrew Weishaar (Kurtis Pederson), 25:50; 4. NNU, Stephen Marshall (penalty kick), 56:04; 5. NNU, Evan McNiel (John DiLulo, 72:21; 6. NNU, Stephen Marshall (penalty kick), 80:35; 7. WWU, Conner Pichette (Sujinda Dangvan), 99:52.

Shots - WWU 10, NNU 14 Saves - WWU 4 (Keegan Rogers 4), NNU 2 (Alfredo Ontiveros 2). Corner kicks - WWU 3, NNU 6 Fouls - WWU 11, NNU 11

Records: Western Washington 6-7-2, 4-5-2 GNAC Northwest Nazarene 7-4-4, 6-2-3 GNAC

Next Game: Western Washington at Seattle Pacific Thursday, Oct. 25, 7 p.m., Seattle, WA