A five-goal first half lead to a 0-5 win for Western's women's soccer team Saturday, Sept. 26, at Simon Fraser University.
The Vikings are now 7-1-0 overall and 3-0-0 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. They are currently ranked number one in conference play, two slots above Simon Fraser.
"We've changed our style of play this year, and we're getting into a rhythm," senior Delanee Nilles said.
The standards were off the charts, as the Vikings scored all of their goals within the first 15 minutes of the match.
Junior Elise Aylward and senior Catherine Miles took turns in the first half, scoring Western’s winning goals.
"It's really important to set the standards high," Miles said.
Aylward led off the scoring with her first goal of the season a little under three minutes into the match.
Not to be outdone, Miles netted the first of her two goals on a penalty kick.
From there, Miles did the passing as she found Aylward who finished the second of her three goals.
Miles found the net 14:47 into the game, but Aylward wasn't done. Aylward then found the back of the net from long distance just four seconds after Miles, rounding out Aylward's hat trick.
Other assists for the goals came from Nilles, and senior Savanna Moorehouse.
"For every team in the league, when they play us, it's their biggest game,” Nilles said. “We know we're going to get the best from every team, we have to expect that."
The end of the half saw 10 shots, 7 of which were on goal, by the Vikings. This set the tone for a quiet, controlled second half by the defense.
The 0-5 final marks a third straight shutout for the defense, all of which have been conference matches.
The Vikings travel to Seattle for their game at 7 p.m. on Thursday Oct. 1, for another important GNAC matchup against Seattle Pacific University.
