Thursday, October 18, 2012

PORTLAND, Ore. - Three Great Northwest Athletic Conference teams are ranked in the inaugural NCAA Division II West Regional poll.  The poll will eventual determine the teams that qualify for the NCAA West Regionals.

Seattle Pacific is ranked third, Montana State Billings is ranked fourth and Western Washington is ranked eighth.

NCAA West Region – 1. Sonoma State (12-1-1); 2. UC San Diego (10-1-2); 3. Seattle Pacific (10-2-2); 4. Montana State Billings (11-3-0); 5. Cal Poly Pomona (7-4-2); 6. Cal State Stanislaus (12-2-0); 7. Cal State L.A. (6-4-4); 8. Western Washington (12-2-0); 9. Cal State San Bernardino (7-5-2); 10. Cal State Monterey Bay (7-6-0).

Arthurs National Leader in Goals Against Average

Western Washington goalkeeper Jamie Arthurs is the current national leader in goals against average, allowing 0.29 per 90 minutes.  Her save percentage of .886 ranks 17th nationally. 

She is the only GNAC player to rank in the Top 30 in any statistical category.    Team wise, the Vikings, who are ranked 25th in this week's national poll, rank No. 1 in both goals against (0.29) and shutout percentage (.786) and seventh in save percentage (.892).  Montana State Billings ranks 16th in shutout percentage (.571).

 The Vikings have won seven consecutive games, all by shutouts, and haven't allowed a goal in 630 minutes, 15 seconds which is the fifth longest streak in GNAC history.  Goalkeeper Jamie Arthurs has 11 shutouts this season, tying her own school record mark. 

Arthurs also had 11 shutouts in 2010 and 2011.  Her career total of 34 is a GNAC record and her season total is two shy of the GNAC record of 13. The Vikings have posted 13 consecutive home shutouts dating back to its final six home games of the 2011 season. 

Three GNAC teams are ranked in this week's regional poll.  WWU is third, Seattle Pacific, which is unbeaten in its last eight games (6-0-2) is fifth and Montana State Billings, which hosts WWU Thursday, ranks sixth.

NCAA National Statistics (Oct. 14): Team (Top 30):  Goals Against – 1. Western Washington 0.29. Shutout PCT. – 1. Western Washington .786; 16. MSU Billings .571.  Save PCT. – 7. Western Washington .892. Individuals (Top 30):  Goals Against – 1. Jamie Arthurs, WWU, 0.29.  Save PCT. – 17. Jamie Arthurs, WWU, .886.