SPOKANE, Wash. – The Whitworth women's soccer team gets to play at home for the first time in 2022 when the Pirates host a pair of NAIA opponents this weekend. Whitworth will play Eastern Oregon on Friday at 4:00 pm. The Bucs host Providence (Mont.) on Sunday at noon.
Links to live video and live statistics are available on the Whitworth women's soccer schedule.
The Pirates: Whitworth dropped a pair of matches in Southern California to open the season last weekend.
After scoreless first half, La Verne scored three second half goals in a 3-0 win over the Pirates on September 1st. The Leopards outshot the Pirates 23-3, including a 15-1 edge in shots on goal. Kate Nelson made a dozen saves for the Bucs.
Whitworth tied Saturday's match at Whittier twice, but the Poets pulled out a 3-2 victory. Kalle Crouch scored the Pirates' first goal of the season late in the opening half to tie the match 1-1. Kalena Pfaeltzer scored in the second half to retie the match 2-2, but Whittier scored the winner with 20 minutes to play. Nelson made nine more saves.
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: Eastern Oregon is 3-1 already this season after Monday's 3-1 win over Jamestown (N.D.). The Mountaineers are coming off an 11-6 record in 2021, which included an 8-4 mark in the Cascade Collegiate Conference. Junior forward Kana Mateaki returns after scoring six goals last fall.
Providence is hungry for its first victory of 2022 after a 0-3 start. The Argonauts went 2-13 overall and 2-10 in the CCC last season. That record is skewed by four COVID-related forfeits. Senior midfielder Danielle Chang had one goal and one assist to lead Providence on offense 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 Northwest Conference schedule on September 17-18 at home against Willamette and Lewis & Clark.
