WSU soccer (4-5-4) is aiming to get a win in conference play against West Coast Conference rival, the Gonzaga Bulldogs.
Currently, the Cougars are sitting in fifth place in a tie with Seattle University. Gonzaga is just ahead of them, sitting in fourth place. Whichever team wins this match will take fourth place in the conference.
“This conference thing is still alive,” head coach Todd Schulenberger said.
The last time the Cougars played was last Saturday against LMU. The game ended 2-0, with the two goals coming from WSU’s Jordyn Young and Journey Middleborn.
That was their first shutout in conference play.
“It was a good win on Saturday for sure. I thought it was a complete game for the most part by us…got the shutout as you said two really nice goals we scored…again shut outs are always good wins… and we move on to our next game,” Shulenberger said.
There have been multiple injuries on the back line, including Jenna Studer, the redshirt-fifth year captain who went down against UC Irvine on Sept. 14. Studer was named to the WCC-All Preseason First Team. Senior captain Peyton Price left the game against Saint Mary’s on Oct. 8. Keira Fitzgerald, the redshirt senior goalkeeper, left the game against North Dakota State University. All three will all be out for the rest of the season.
“We have a great locker room right now to be honest with you,” Shulenberger said. “We always say next player up mentality…so it shows what’s going on in that locker room right now… It’s deep but young and inexperienced in a way, but I like the progress we’re making on the work we’re providing out there and uh these kids are embracing their role and they’re getting it done right now so we’re still excited about that.”
The good news is redshirt-freshman Kiera Mitchell has returned for the Cougars. She missed two games for the team after suffering a facial injury against Seattle U on Sept. 24. Mitchell returned to action on Oct. 8 against Saint Mary’s with a mask to protect her face. She played the full 90 minutes against Saint Mary’s and LMU.
“What a tough kid she is,” Shulenberger said. “So, you know, talking to her and her dad at the yard, they’re ready to go the next day, so that’s who they are, that’s who this team is. She’s had a great year, I mean I didn’t notice [the mask] out there because Kiera, she’ll be the first and the last out there to keep heading the ball.”
On the offensive end, the Cougars have been able to breakout, scoring seven goals since the start of conference play. Redshirt-senior Jordyn Young leads the team with four goals. Sophomore Audrey Shackelford, grad-student Abigail Sidall and freshman Journey Middleborn all have two goals on the season. Freshman Isabelle Wright leads the team in assists with four. Shackelford has two assists on the season.
“Well I think we’re just getting more comfortable with each other up front and it’s a new group of young ladies up front, newbies meaning freshman and some transfers that came in as well, and they’re starting to get it,” Shulenberger said.
The last time the Cougars played the Bulldogs was in 2024 in Spokane, where they took a 3-4 loss. The time before, the game was in Pullman in 2015 where the Cougs won 1-0.
The Bulldogs have 19 goals on the season with two players having five goals on the season. On defense, the Bulldogs have struggled with allowing goals. They have swapped around their goalkeepers this season.
The Cougars are aiming to get the win and take over fourth place in the WCC against Gonzaga on Saturday at Lower Soccer field.
