We wrap up the fall season:
When Western’s women’s and men’s teams finished 11th and 13th, respectively, in the NCAA Division II National Championships for cross country on Nov. 23 in Sacramento, it was the best two-team result since 2011.
Western has yet to crack the top three nationally in either program, but showed its depth with three-peat GNAC titles and dual runner-up finishes at NCAA West Regionals, a first for Western. At nationals, the women did even better against their regional brethren, beating rivals Alaska Fairbanks and Chico State to finish best in the West in their 11th trip to nationals.
Graduation will steal a big chunk of Western’s cross country speed, but not all of it. Junior Ashley Reeck, who finished 33rd over the 6K (3.6-mile) course and earned All-America status, is back, as are redshirt freshman Danielle McLain and sophomore Ella Edens, each with top-five times that counted toward the team score.
Western graduates national-championship meet runners Sophie Wright, 89th; Ila “Gabi” Davis, 95th; Emma Smith, 122nd and Mia Crocker, 125th.
For the men, making their 14th trip to nationals, senior Jeret Gillingham was 48th, Kevin McDermott was 95th and All-Region and all-conference runner Ryan Clough, fighting illness all week, was 236th. The team returns sophomore Jared Alderfer, 75th; junior George Karamitsos, 110th and redshirt freshman Jonah Billings, 119th.
Women’s soccer: Stingy defense will be back
The Vikings’ narrow loss in the NCAA Division II tournament second round, 1-0 to Cal Poly Pomona that ended their season Saturday, Nov. 23, showed that even as an at-large team, Western is dangerous in postseason play.
The team, the 2022 and 2016 national champions, went undefeated in GNAC play at 11-0-3 and had an overall 14-4-3 mark, winning every game from Sept. 26 to Nov. 16, when they lost to Simon Fraser in the GNAC final. Picked as one of four at-large teams after missing the NCAA tournament for the first time last season, the Vikings won their first-round NCAA tournament game in dramatic fashion when Claire Potter scored with 32 seconds left to beat Azusa Pacific, 2-1.
Western loses eight seniors, including conference-leading scorer Kyrsten McGuffey, an NCAA All-West Region first-team player, standout defender Halle Noel and starting keeper Abigail Trengove. But the future looks bright. The Vikings return All-West second-teamers junior defender Asia Hardin and midfielder Morgan Manalili, and sophomore midfielder Mie Cairns, and most of a defense, including Olivia Connell, that was the second best in the region and top-20 in the nation in goals against average (0.565).
Men’s soccer: Strong finish fell just short
Western men’s soccer won eight of their last nine games (10-5-3 overall, 8-3-1 GNAC), including an upset of national No. 14-ranked Western Oregon in the season’s final game, to vault to second place in the conference, just missing an NCAA Division II tournament berth. A late loss to Montana State Billings doomed their chances.
The Vikings should benefit from the GNAC adding a postseason men’s tournament next year, where three teams will vie for an automatic berth in the NCAA tournament. The Vikings lose seven key seniors, including all-conference first-teamers Eric Bunnell at forward and midfielder Kaydin Wall, and return defender Sebastiano Silvetti.
The Vikings recently signed prospects Julian Herring, a Sehome High midfielder, and striker Zack Robertson of Puyallup.
Volleyball: Flashes of progress, then a swoon
After winning five of six matches going into the season’s final two contests and a chance to emphatically put a winning stamp on the season, the Vikings went pfffft!
They lost the final two matches, each in straight sets. The first was to Alaska Anchorage, a team two spots below them in the GNAC standings. The second was to Alaska Fairbanks, tied for third with Western going into the Alaska series. The finish had to be a disappointment to a young team of underclasswomen (no seniors) that won six of seven in mid-season.
Past successes lurk in the rearview for a program that twice reached the NCAA Division II (2018, 2021) Final Four and qualified for the NCAA Division II tournament 10 of the past 12 seasons.
The Vikings made good on their vow to not repeat last season’s overall losing record, the first under 25-year coach Diane Flick-Williams, but barely: they finished 12-12 and in fourth place at 11-7 in the GNAC. Still, the future looks bright, with returning Devyn Oestreich, a second-straight first-team all-conference pick who was one of two ranking in the top 10 in both kills and digs per set. She was joined on the all-conference team with honorable mentions Delaney Speer, Emily Vossenkuhl, and rising star Dani Johnson, a redshirt freshman, among others. With everyone back next year, here’s hoping they find their way again.
GAMES TO WATCH
7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 5 — Women’s basketball vs. Montana State Billings, Bellingham. It’s the GNAC season opener as the team returns to Carver Gym for the first time since Nov. 12. The Vikings barely edged MSU Billings, the defending regular-season champs, to finish No. 1 in the preseason poll by conference coaches.
7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 7 — Women’s basketball vs. Seattle Pacific, Bellingham. SPU was selected eighth of 10 teams in preseason poll.
Tickets. See wwuvikings.com/Tickets or in person one hour prior to game time.
Parking. Free for sports. For basketball, lot 19G for general audience; 9G for season ticket holders. See the map at wwu.edu/parking.
Can’t make it? Stream it
All home games and most road contests are streamed via a live and free YouTube webcast. Find links online at cascadiadaily.com.
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Meri-Jo Borzilleri is a freelance journalist and former 20-year sports reporter.
Meri-Jo Borzilleri is a freelance journalist and former 20-year sports reporter.
