Sept. 25, 2006

Lutes' Shutout String Ends in 5-1 Loss to WWU

Match Statistics

(Courtesy WWU Sports Information Office)

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Western Washington University scored first for the first time in 26 games and went on to a 5-1 victory over Pacific Lutheran University in a non-league men’s soccer contest Monday night at Orca Field on the Whatcom CC campus.

The win snapped a five-game losing streak for the Vikings, who improved to 2-11-0. They were coming off one of the worst losses in school history, 7-2, to Notre Dame de Namur on Saturday.

The five goals matched Western’s best over the last three seasons.

Pacific Lutheran, playing its third match in as many days, fell to 5-2-0 as it had a five-game victory string end, all of them by shutouts. The Lutes would have tied a school record with a sixth consecutive shutout.

Three of Western’s goals came on headers. Forward Jacob Haddock opened the scoring in the 20th minute, heading home a Chris Jepson free kick that was launched from just inside the midfield line. It was the first time the Vikings scored the opening goal of a game since getting an overtime game-winner in a 1-0 triumph over Chico State on Sept. 9, 2005.

The Lutes evened the score in the 35th minute as Mike Ferguson intercepted a clearing pass and buried a shot from 15 yards. It was the fourth goal in as many matches for the junior forward and tied him with teammate Baard Asker for the team lead with six.

The Vikings regained the lead just 24 seconds later, however, then broke the game open in the second half with three goals in a 13-minute span. The Vikings have scored 14 goals in their last seven games after notching just three in the first six contests.

Both teams finished the match with 12 shots, and Pacific Lutheran had an 8-1 advantage in corner kicks.

- PLU -