BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Junior defender Jeremiah Lee netted the game-winning goal on a header from a corner kick in the 85th minute as the Western Washington University men’s soccer team earned a 1-0 victory over visiting Hawai’i Pacific University on Saturday night at Harrington Field in non-conference action.
The No. 24 nationally-ranked Vikings improved to 4-2-0 in closing out the non-conference schedule, snapping a two-game losing skid in the process. HPU dropped to 1-2-0 with the loss.
WWU put forth a total team effort and defended well to earn the win, playing a man down with 10 players on the field for the vast majority of the match after a red card was issued to WWU junior forward Christian Rotter (Auburn, WA/Auburn Mountainview) in the 12th minute. The Vikings found the game-winner at the 84:39 mark when Lee (Marysville, WA/Grace Academy) headed home a corner kick from sophomore midfielder Georg Cholewa (Leipzig, Germany/Sportgymnasium Chemnitz).
“Playing a man down for that long (78 minutes) and to grind out a win like that, it was one of the best team performances I have been a part of as a player or a coach,” head coach Greg Brisbon said. “It took a total team effort where everybody is contributing, even when they are tired, to gain that result. We really defended well, stuck with the game plan and attacked when we had the chance.”
Cholewa, who recorded his team-leading third assist in the game, sent a corner kick from the left side into the 18-yard box to find Lee for the header finish from just inside the 6-yard box. Lee sent his header off of an HPU defender standing on the goal line and into the net. It was the third career goal for Lee, and first since his freshman campaign.
The Sharks were credited with 2 shots following the go-ahead goal, but the WWU defense blocked both attempts in earning the team’s second shutout win of the season.
The red card had been called at the 11:47 mark early in the first half as Rotter challenged an HPU player with both players sliding toward the ball in attempt to gain possession. As a whole, the game featured five cards with the red card and four yellows.
Each team had a single shot on goal at the half, with HPU holding a 6-2 advantage in total shots over the first 45 minutes. WWU put 4 of its 7 shots in the second half on goal, with the Sharks totaling 13 shots and 2 on frame in the half.
Freshman goalkeeper Brandon Wolter (Vancouver, WA/Union) totaled 3 saves in posting his second shutout. HPU goalkeeper Chandler Schur made 4 saves for the Sharks.
“It was a great bounce-back win and I am really proud of the guys for this performance,” Brisbon said. “It is a good non-conference victory. We head into GNAC play, our second season, on a positive note and we are ready to get going in conference play.”
The Vikings will start the GNAC schedule next week. WWU is on the road to begin the conference slate next Thursday at Saint Martin’s (1 pm) before returning home to host MSU Billings on Saturday (7 pm).
Saturday’s conference home opener against MSU Billings is part of a doubleheader at Harrington Field, with the WWU women’s soccer team hosting Simon Fraser at 4 pm