NAMPA - Fighting back to tie the match twice during regulation play, the Northwest Nazarene women's soccer team fell 3-2 in double-overtime to Western Washington University in the opening Great Northwest Athletic Conference game for the Crusaders on Wednesday afternoon at the NNU Soccer Field.

The Crusaders fall to 3-2-1 overall and 0-1-0 in GNAC play while the Vikings improve to 5-1-0 overall and 1-1-0 in GNAC action. Both of the Crusaders losses and their tie have gone to overtime this season.

"I felt that we played very well today and I was proud of the way we battled back twice under pressure," commented NNU head coach Jamie Lindvall. "Western is a good team, one of the best in the West Region, so this was a quality effort."

The game winner for WWU came in the 103rd minute when Amanda Font scored from 16-yards out after a Viking corner kick was headed out of the box. Katie Warner controlled the loose ball and found Font for the shot.

Tied 0-0 at the break, Western opened the scoring in the 49th minute when Brynn Regan headed in a Rosie Zadra corner. NNU answered in the 52nd minute when Liz Gross headed in a Carlee Stinton corner to tie it at 1-1.

WWU would take a 2-1 lead in the 80th minute when a Viking crossing pass was deflected into the net by an NNU defender for an own goal, but the Crusaders again answered just six minutes later when a Hannah Mohs shot beat WWU goalkeeper Teresa Fish to knot the score at 2-2. Liz Gross and Katy McNutt earned assists on Mohs goal, her second of the season.

The Crusaders outshot the Vikings 19-14 with Fish grabbing six saves for WWU and NNU keeper Amanda Peters hustling for four. WWU held a 8-3 advantage in corners.

NNU will continue GNAC action on Saturday at noon when they host Central Washington University.