SPOKANE, Wash. – The Whitworth women's soccer team will play one match at home and one on the road to finish out the first half of the Northwest Conference schedule this week. The Pirates host Whitman on Wednesday (4:00 pm) and play at Linfield on Saturday (noon).
Links to live video and live statistics are available on the Whitworth women's soccer schedule.
The Pirates: Whitworth (1-6-2 overall, 1-4-1 NWC) lost a pair of home matches to the NWC-leading teams last weekend.
The Pirates fell 2-1 to Puget Sound on Saturday, coming short during a late rally. The Loggers took a 2-0 lead in the 73rd minute, but Maggie Ames scored her first goal of the season in the 79th minute to pull Whitworth within a goal. The Bucs had two on-goal shot attempts in the final minute of the match, but the UPS keeper saved both.
Whitworth played Pacific Lutheran to a scoreless draw for more than 80 minutes until a couple of late defensive miscues allowed the Lutes to come away with a 2-0 victory. Kate Nelson kept the Pirates in the match with six saves.
Puget Sound and Pacific Lutheran are currently tied for first place in the NWC standings.
The Buck (Ball) Stops Here: Senior GK Kate Nelson played all 1860 minutes as the only goalkeeper on the roster in 2021, leading all of NCAA Division III in goalie minutes played. She led the NWC in saves per game (4.90), was second in save percentage (.838) and third in goals-against average (0.919). She was second in the NWC and fifth in NCAA Division III in shutouts (10). Nelson was named second team All-Northwest Conference.
The Opponents: Whitman is 4-5 overall and 1-5 in the NWC heading into Wednesday's match. The Blues lost at home to both Pacific Lutheran (4-2) and Puget Sound (1-0) over the weekend. Junior midfielder Lindsey Honhart has five goals this season, half of her team's total of 10. Whitworth defeated Whitman twice in 2021, 2-0 in Spokane and 4-2 in Walla Walla.
Linfield is 2-4-4 overall and 0-3-3 in the NWC heading into Saturday's match against the Pirates. The Wildcats tied George Fox 1-1 on the road last Saturday, then tied Pacific (Ore.) 1-1 at home on Sunday. Senior forward Laney Green has four goals, while freshman forward Janae Lewis has three goals and two assists. Whitworth defeated Linfield 2-0 at home and 1-0 on the road in 2021.
The Coach: Whitworth soccer alum Cameron Bushey is in his first season as head coach of the women's soccer team. He came from Stanislaus State, where he was the top assistant coach. Bushey has club coaching stints in Spokane and Colorado and he was an assistant at Gonzaga University for two seasons (2018-19). He graduated from Whitworth in 2012 as a four-time All-NWC honoree who helped lead the Pirates to three NWC titles and NCAA Division III tournament appearances in 2008 and 2009.
Coming up: Whitworth will open the second half of Northwest Conference play at Willamette and Lewis & Clark on October 15-16.
