LACEY, Wash. – From the opening touch to the final seconds on the clock, nationally ranked Western Washington controlled the match against the Saints, suffocating SMU on the offensive end and limited the Saints' chances in a 4-0 match.
 
The Saints (4-4-0, 0-3-0) lone shot of the match came in the first half by Jolene Kvinsland, but SMU was unable to win the battle in the midfield and create opportunities. The Vikings (7-2-0, 2-1-0), ranked 17th in the country, put constant pressure on the Saints' defense, racking up 33 shots.
 
The Vikings' offense struggled to break the Saints' back line through the first third of the match, and did not manage to score until the 38th minute. Before the half, the Vikings managed to connect once more in the final seconds, and extended their lead to 2-0. In the second half, the Saints made multiple adjustments and were able to stem the flow of Vikings' shots until the 77th minute. Western Washington sealed the victory with goals in the 77th and 82nd minute.
 
Sara Christensen got the start at goalkeeper for the Saints, going a full 90 minutes, making eight saves on 33 shots faced.
 
The Saints remain at home for their next match, hosting #10 Concordia at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 29. Part of the first annual Saints Kicking Some ALS, donations will be collected at the match to help those affected by ALS. Live video and stats of match will be available on smusaints.com.