The Doug Lange Network 

September 2, 2018 

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WWU BLANKS CHICO STATE 1-0

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CHICO, Calif. – Senior defender Stephen Jinneman scored the lone goal of the game in the 32nd minute as the visiting Western Washington University men’s soccer team earned a 1-0 victory over Chico State on Saturday evening at University Soccer Stadium.

 

WWU improved to 2-0-0 with the victory following a season-opening 4-3 overtime win against Sonoma State on Thursday. Chico State, a 2-0 winner in its season opener over Seattle Pacific on Thursday, dropped to 1-1-0 with the loss.

 

“Very similar to the previous game (at Sonoma State), they found a way to win,” WWU head coach Greg Brisbon said. “…Chico State is a very, very good team but we defended as a team and created a great opportunity to score.”

 

Jinneman (Redmond, WA) was on the receiving end of a cross from sophomore midfielder Georg Cholewa (Leipzig, Germany/Sportgymnasium Chemnitz) for the game-winning goal. Cholewa sent a cross from the right side that took one bounce in a crowded box and found Jinneman near the left post for a diving header into the net at the 31:14 mark.

 

“We got the ball in to their back post – great service from Georg and play from the other runners in the box creating confusion for them to defend it, it was a really nice goal,” Brisbon said. “Overall, a good, hard-working performance by everybody.”

 

Jinneman recorded his second goal of the season after netting an equalizing goal to help force overtime on a similar play in the second half at Sonoma State. Cholewa posted his second assist of the year after totaling an assist as well as the game-winning golden goal at Sonoma State.

 

WWU held off the Wildcats after halftime as Chico State created corner kick opportunities down the stretch and posted 9 shots (one on goal) in the second half. The Vikings, who finished second in the GNAC with 5 shutouts last season, earned their first shutout of 2018 on Saturday.

 

The Wildcats out-shot the Vikings 13-4 overall with each team putting a pair of shots on goal in the game. Chico State also had 11 corner kicks, including 8 in the second half and 5 over the last 10 minutes of the game, compared with 3 during the contest for the Vikings. But the WWU defense held strong and limited high-percentage scoring opportunities to keep the Wildcats off the scoreboard.

 

Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Brandon Wolter (Vancouver, WA/Union) made 2 saves in his WWU debut. Chico State goalkeeper Damion Lewis made 1 save.

 

The Vikings will play two more non-conference games in California next week, traveling to face No. 23 Point Loma on Sept. 6 (4:30 pm) and Azusa Pacific on Sept. 8 (2:30 pm). WWU will play its home opener at Harrington Field against Hawaii Hilo on Sept. 11 at 7 pm.

 

GAME NOTES: The Vikings are 2-0-0 to begin the regular season for the first time since 2007...WWU improved to 9-10-0 all-time vs. Chico State and faced Wildcats for third consecutive season…won second consecutive meeting in Chico (1-0 win in 2016, 3-2 - OT loss in Bellingham last season)…senior defender Stephen Jinneman scored his second goal of the season while sophomore midfielder Georg Cholewa totaled his second assist of the year (1 goal, 2 assists through 2 games)….WWU posted first shutout of 2018 (2nd in GNAC with 5 shutouts during 2017).

 

-- @SoccerWWU --

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NO. 7 VIKINGS FALL TO NO. 5 UC SAN DIEGO

1-0 ON LATE GOAL

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LA JOLLA, Calif. – Nationally-ranked No. 5 UC San Diego scored in the 84th minute on a goal by Maddy Samilo to lead the Tritons to a 1-0 victory over No. 7 Western Washington in a battle of West Region rivals Saturday afternoon at Triton Soccer Stadium.

 

The Vikings end their San Diego road trip 1-1-0 after beating Point Loma 2-1 in double overtime in Thursday’s season opener. UCSD improves to 2-0-0 while extending its unbeaten streak to 19 straight dating back to last season (16-0-3).

 

It was a tale of two halves for the Vikings (1-1-0), who out-shot the Tritons 6-2 in the first half, but UCSD took control in the second half with 12 shots compared to WWU’s one.

 

“It was definitely two different halves,” said 16th-year head coach Travis Connell. “We had more possession in the first half but were not able to create a lot of chances. And in the second half they kind of had their way, moved the ball and created a lot of chances. We made a mistake and they got behind us and executed a nice goal.”

 

UCSD got on the board first in the 84th minute when Maddy Samilo got behind the WWU defense and beat goalkeeper Natalie Dierickx (Kirkland, WA/Inglemoor/Colorado State) one-one-one and finished with a shot from close range.

 

Trailing with six minutes left in regulation, the Vikings appeared to net the equalizer in the 87th minute, but a goal by junior Liv Larson (Arlington, WA) was called off on an offside call. Senior defender Taylor Hallquist (Vancouver, WA/Columbia River) delivered a long pass to a streaking Larson, who flicked the ball past the UCSD keeper. After a slight delay and a meeting of the officials, the flag went up and the goal was called off.

 

The Vikings and Tritons were each kept off the scoreboard in the first half, with WWU holding a 6-2 advantage in shots. It was the Tritons that had the best scoring chance in the 37th minute when Roni Merrill connected on a header off a corner kick from Ashlynn Kolarik, but Dierickx made a nice save as the loose ball inched toward the goal line. 

 

UCSD had another scoring chance in the 61st minute when senior forward Mary Reilly found space in the 18-yard box and headed a bounding ball towards the goal that was saved by Dierickx. The Tritons again threatened in the 70th minute when Megumi Barber fired a cross through the box that narrowly missed the foot of a streaking Marissa Ray.

 

“The job for us is to keep getting better each time out, but there are some more things we need to solve and are still a work in progress,” added Connell. “We are excited to get back home and start training for Thursday’s home opener at Harrington Field.”

 

WWU returns home to host a pair of non-conference matches next week at Harrington Field, beginning with Thursday’s home opener vs. Holy Names at 7 pm. The Vikings will then host perennial national contender MSU Denver, the 2004 and 2006 NCAA II national champions, on Saturday, September 8 at 7 pm. Single-game and season tickets for Western’s nine home games can be purchased at WWUVikings.com/Tickets.

 

All home matches will be streamed on GNAC.tv and VikingsTV with links available at WWUVikings.com/Live.

 

Game Note: WWU was not credited with a shot on goal in the game, marking the first time in 147 games to not record a shot on goal dating back to a 1-0 loss on Sept. 24, 2001 at Montana State Billings.

 

-- @WWU_WSoccer --