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Boxscore & Play-by-Play
SEATTLE -- Kelsey Jenkins was born to play soccer.
What else could she do after growing up with a father who coached soccer after an outstanding playing career in England and with the original Seattle Sounders?
Jenkins converted a well-placed pass from Andrea Chan for the game's only goal Tuesday afternoon as Seattle Pacific got back onto the women's soccer winning track with a 1-0 non-conference victory against Brigham Young-Hawaii at Interbay Stadium.
The fifth-ranked Falcons (11-0-1) extended their three-year home unbeaten streak to 39 games (37-0-2), and bounced back from Saturday's 3-2 loss at Western Washington.
“Obviously it was a good result. We got the win, which is always good after a loss,” Jenkins said. “Some people were kind of feeling down after the loss on Saturday. We needed to get a win right away.”
Coach Chuck Sekyra agreed with his sophomore midfielder.
“There was a lot of emotion in that Western game so this was a tough game to play. But it's something to build on and hopefully we'll get better from it. It's nice to get a shutout and score a good goal.”
Chan (Vancouver, Wash./Central Catholic HS), a freshman defender, started SPU's scoring play by intercepting the ball 40 yards from the goal on the left wing side. She sent a through ball toward the right side of the penalty area, where Jenkins ran onto it. Jenkins slipped a low 12-yard shot past onrushing goalkeeper Becky Ploeger and inside the left post at 63:35.
That was the third goal of the season for Jenkins and all three have been game-winning tallies.
“She's been phenomenal. She's brought so much energy to our team along with so much intensity and intelligent play,” Sekyra said. “Kelsey is somebody that's constantly playing at both ends of the field, offensively and defensively just doing a heck of a job for us. She's making a huge difference and I just love how she is playing.”
Jenkins is a native of Kent, Wash., who prepped at Kentwood High School.
Her father, Tommy Jenkins, was a left winger with several English clubs between 1966-75, including a three-season stint from 1969-72 with Southampton of the First Division. Tommy then came to Seattle to play from 1976-79 with the Sounders of the NASL.
Whether it is due to genetics or the fact she grew up in a soccer environment, Sekyra says her father's background shows up in Kelsey's cerebral play.
“She's got it in there. Kelsey sees some situations a little bit differently than others and what she sees I really like.”
Jenkins credited positioning and anticipation for her fifth collegiate goal.
“Chan played the ball in. Originally I was running behind Jocelyn (Charette) and I thought she was going to get a foot on it, but she didn't quite get there. I was just following up, the ball slipped through and I was in the right place.
“I got the ball right around the PK spot and the keeper hadn't come out all the way yet so I got a chance to look up and see where she was at. She was just coming off her line so I knew if I hit it low to the corner that it would be fine.”
It was the eighth time in 12 games this fall that the Falcons got the game-winner during the second half after being tied 0-0 at the break.
Junior goalkeeper Maddie Dickinson (Vancouver, Wash./Skyview HS) registered four saves en route to her sixth shutout. She is the nation's leading goalkeeper with a perfect 0.00 goals-against average, keeping her seven opponents off the board for 585 minutes.
Dickinson made a key save with 3:40 left in the game when she pulled down a high 40-yard shot by Brenna Rhoades near the left post. Just five minutes earlier, she got some help from defender Janie Wurth (La Mirada, Calif.) when Wurth, playing at the top of the six-yard box, knocked the ball off the foot of Margaret Sekona before Sekona could get off a shot.
The Seasiders, an NCAA tournament team last season and a member of the Pacific West Conference, fell to 5-2-0.
Ploeger was credited with five saves for BYU Hawaii, which was outshot 19-10.
SPU has won 22 of its last 23 games.
The Falcons have an eight-day break before their next game.
“It's exciting when you can win a game and then have some time to work on some things,” Sekyra said. “I think you'll see a team that's going in the right direction next time you see us play. We will have grown even more together.”
The Seattle Pacific women play their next two games on the road. They visit Saint Martin's on Oct. 14 at 3 p.m. and Northwest Nazarene on Oct. 17 at 11 a.m. Pacific Time.
NCAA Women's Soccer
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Interbay Stadium/Seattle, Wash.
(#5) Seattle Pacific 1, BYU Hawaii 0
Scoring -- 1, SPU, Kelsey Jenkins (Andrea Chan), 63:35.
Shots – BYUH 10, SPU 19.
Saves – BYUH 5 (Becky Ploeger), SPU 4 (Maddie Dickinson).
Corner kicks – BYUH 3, SPU 11.
Fouls – BYUH 12, SPU 7.
Offsides – BYUH 0, SPU 2.
Attendance -- 117.
Records --
Seattle Pacific 11-1-0
BYU Hawaii 5-1-0
Next game --
Seattle Pacific at Saint Martin's
Wednesday, Oct. 14, 3:00 p.m., Lacey, Wash.
