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BILLINGS, Mont. – Two second half goals by Western Washington University propelled the visiting Vikings to a 2-1 victory at Montana State Billings Thursday afternoon. With the loss, the Yellowjackets fell to 7-7-1 on the year and 2-6 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. WWU improved to 7-6-2 and 2-4-1 in conference play.
“It was a disappointing loss as we played great in the first half, and were in a good position at halftime with a 1-0 lead,” MSUB head coach Dan McNally said. “We made a mental mistake in the first minute of the second half as we allowed WWU to play a short corner, which they scored from. If we had made it through the first 10 minutes of the second half without conceding a goal, we could have seen the game out. Western's goal gave them all of the momentum through the remainder of the half.”
The Yellowjackets took the lead 35 minutes into the contest as senior Chris Andre fired a free kick from outside the top of the circle and the ball meandered through the Viking defense into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead. It was Andre's team-leading eighth score of the season.
MSUB led the way in the first half in shots to the tune of 9-6. Sophomore Thomas Sheets had four first half shots with two on goal, while junior Peter Davies had three with two on goal. Andre had the one shot and score.
The Jackets made WWU goalkeeper, Leo Cohen, work as they peppered him for six shots on goal as he made five saves. MSUB goalkeeper, Matt Mitchell, made one first half save on the Vikings' lone shot on goal.
Just 35 seconds into the second half, the Vikings got on the board as GNAC leading goal scorer, Gibson Bardsley, scored his 15th goal of the season on a header off a short corner kick from Cristian Geday.
From there, the momentum the Yellowjackets had in the first half moved to WWU. The Jackets tallied just two shots in the second half, while WWU had six shots and two on goal. Both of the Jackets' shots sailed off target.
WWU's Andrew Weishaar scored the game winner also off a free kick. The Vikings did a quick restart off of a foul as Bardsley fired the ball to a streaking Weishaar down the left side. Weishaar beat Mitchell on a shot to the lower right corner.
It was Weishaar's sixth goal of the season and Bardsley's fourth assist.
For the game the Vikings led the way in shots with a 12-11 advantage, but the Jackets had six shots on goal to three for WWU. The Vikings also led in corner kicks with a 5-1 advantage.
“We are going to fight until the very end of the season,” McNally added. “We have a target of having a winning season and that is what we are going to focus on accomplishing.”
The Yellowjackets continue at home Saturday as they entertain league-leading and undefeated Simon Fraser at 3 p.m. at Yellowjacket Field. Simon Fraser is the newest member to the GNAC and is in its first year in the league as it is transitioning from NAIA. The Clan is currently ranked No. 1 nationally in the NAIA poll.
