By: Evan O'Kelly, Associate Commissioner for Communications

SEATTLE – The Great Northwest Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year stepped up in the biggest moment of Thursday’s GNAC Championships semifinal match, as Western Washington’s Olivia Connell converted an 81st-minute penalty kick to lift her team 1-0 past Central Washington at Interbay Stadium.
 
It was the senior’s third goal of the season – all of which have counted as game-winners in a contest that the Vikings won by a single goal. Ranked seventh in the most recent national coaches poll, WWU improved to 15-2-3 with Thursday’s win. “I was just really excited,” said Connell. “Maddie (Mays) was up there and got that foul for us, and I just stepped up. I always feel really comfortable taking them.”
 
The decisive strike came after forward Madeline Mays drew a foul at the edge of the penalty area. Tabbed for her second penalty-kick try of the season, Connell calmly tucked a low, right-footed shot inside the right goal post to make the score 1-0. “Liv is a big-time player and she always steps up in the big moments,” WWU senior captain Mie Cairns said. “We know we can always count on her. Whether that’s making a game-saving tackle or putting it in the back of the net, she always steps up when we need her most.”
 
Western Washington advances to Saturday’s GNAC Championships title match (11 a.m. Pacific), where it will face the winner of Thursday’s second semifinal between No. 3 seed Seattle Pacific and No. 2 seed Simon Fraser (3 p.m. Pacific). The Vikings are coming off their conference-record 12th GNAC regular-season title, going 12-1-1 in conference play for 37 points.
 
Connell’s decisive finish came in what was a well-defended match by both sides. First-team all-conference goalkeeper Ellie McGowan earned her 14th shutout of the year and the Viking back line shut out the Wildcats for the first time this season. Connell, who has played every minute of the year on the back line, was joined by GNAC Newcomer of the Year Ella Witherspoon and freshmen Ruby Senffner, Chloe Van Wey and Blake Francis in keeping the Wildcats out of the net.
 
Central Washington (6-10-4) frustrated the Viking forwards from start to finish, drawing WWU offside 10 times and preventing numerous dangerous opportunities before they materialized into shots. Senior goalkeeper Danika Galbraith was outstanding in the final match of her fourth season, tying the conference tournament record with nine saves. “John (Hawks) and that team were awesome this year, and credit goes to them,” said WWU assistant coach Jamie Arthurs. “They stifled so much of our attack today. They made knock-downs difficult, and the small bits of possession we could get, we had to grind out. This was a difficult win for us, and we really had to play 90 minutes. We played a ton of players, and our depth was so important today to run around and make them a little bit tired.”
 
It was a well-balanced opening 45 minutes, with each team maintaining spells of possession and creating looks towards goals. The Wildcat back line handled the Vikings’ constant through balls well, holding its line and effectively marking WWU targets. Among Galbraith’s four first-half saves, her last was most impressive as she dove to her left to deny a close-range attempt by Keira Reeves. Galbraith read the game well from her box, emerging forward on numerous occasions to clear away searching long balls before they could reach WWU forwards.
 
The Vikings were equally sound defensively, with Connell commanding the aerial game and Van Wey winning important challenges throughout the first half as well. “They have all come in and done really well,” Connell commented on sharing the back line with four newcomers to the program. “We work really well together, communicate well and they have grown into their positions as the season has gone on. It is great playing with them.”
 
The defensive theme continued through the majority of the second half as the Wildcat back line of Lainee Derry, Kendal Smith, Haley Engstrom and Peyton Wilson held strong. Wilson had perhaps the most important touch during the run of play, racing back to clear a loose ball inside the six yard box before WWU’s Mays was able to reach it in front of an open net.
 
The Wildcats fought to the finish and generated their best chance of the contest in the waning minutes. A loose ball after a cross into the goal box fell favorably onto the foot of CWU forward Shannah Mellick, but her on-target strike was handled by McGowan with a diving stop. The sophomore Viking goalkeeper finished the match with a pair of saves and played a key role in her team building its attack from the back line.
 
Advancing to the conference tournament final for the fourth-consecutive season, WWU will be in search of its first tournament title since the 2022 campaign. The Vikings fell in the final against Simon Fraser in each of the last three tournaments. “That’s why I wanted to come to Western – because we play in these big games and have a lot of opportunities,” said Cairns, who played her 85th-career match on Thursday. “Liv and I have experienced it all these four years, and we are excited for Saturday for sure.”
 
GAME NOTES: It was the third time the teams met in the GNAC Championships, with WWU improving to 3-0 and all three contests being in the semifinals…WWU improved to 20-4-3 all-time in the conference tournament and CWU fell to 0-5 all-time…WWU’s six GNAC Championships tournament titles are the most by any team in the conference…CWU made its first conference tournament appearance since 2019 and its fifth overall…WWU won the season series between the teams 2-0-1…WWU is now 55-10-11 all-time against CWU dating back to the first meeting between the sides in 1987.