Simson Garcia | Sports Editor
For the first time in their history, this year Western’s club sports included a women’s soccer team. The club has played two games in the season, thus far and stand at 0-2. One of those losses is owed to the Portland State Vikings with whom the Wolves played a rematch with on May 5. The team fell just shy of their first win, 2-1.
Portland State was ball-dominant throughout, getting two shots attempted at the goal post in the early 15 minutes of the game. The Vikings controlled the ball for most of the first half.
Goalkeeper D-Dré Wright, sophomore, mentioned, “It’s nice being able play on a field that we know that we practice on. Nonetheless, that doesn’t really change the game because it all depends on where the ball goes.”
Wright made a high leap and grabbing save for one ball that nearly got passed her, but Portland State kept on the attack, eventually getting their second goal in the second half off a high 20-yard chip shot that Wright could not reach.
The Vikings’s defense created multiple turnovers, allowing their offense to ramp up their momentum towards the goal. The visiting team increased control of the soccer ball in the latter half. This kept the Wolves on their heels, having to constantly create line defenses.
Western finally got their first goal, with under eight minutes left to play, off a long-range shot that went high and up over Portland’s goalie.
Western kicked it into high gear as the clock ticked with only one needed to tie, but time soon ran out.
“We’ve definitely gotten way better since our first game,” said sweeper and team captain Haylie Shinsato, junior. “I am proud of how we’ve been able to come together slowly. We still have kinks to work out but eventually we’ll get to where we need to be.”
The Wolves will be at home again on May 20 to defend their turf against the Central Washington Wildcats. The match will be played on the turf field starting at 10 a.m.
Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu
Photo by: Simson Garcia
