WWU women’s soccer wins GNAC tournament

Freshman forward Gabriela Pelogi scores for the Vikings, along with two own-goals, helping nationally ranked Western Washington University defeat Seattle Pacific 3-1 on Saturday, Nov. 7, in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Women’s Soccer Championship in Burnaby, B.C.

WWU, ranked No. 2 in the most recent NCAA Division II Coaches Poll, improved to 18-1-1 overall and advances to the NCAA II West Regional Tournament for the fourth consecutive year.

Pelogi scored the Vikings second goal in the 46th minute when she sent a high arching header over the keeper after Caitlyn Jobanek played a ball into the center of the box.

The Vikings opened the scoring with an own goal in the 24th minute when Emily Webster sent a corner kick to the mouth of the goal where the SPU goalkeeper deflected the ball off a Falcon defender and eventually made its way into the net. Another own goal in the 51st minute sent the Vikings up 3-0, when Becca Cates took another corner kick that made its way into the goal.

WWU won the GNAC tournament title for the second time since the tournament began in 2012, when the Vikings defeated MSU Billings. This was the third straight year that the Vikings met the Falcons in the GNAC Championship, previous two matches going in favor of SPU via penalty kicks.

The Falcons lone goal was scored by Isabel Farrell on a penalty kick in the 67th minute.

The triumph sends the Vikings into the NCAA II Tournament.

This story was originally published November 7, 2015 at 5:53 PM with the headline "WWU women’s soccer wins GNAC tournament."