September 17, 2009
MONMOUTH, Ore. – Seattle Pacific's depth was on display Thursday.
Two reserves tallied their first collegiate goals and another player found the net for the first time this season as the top-ranked SPU women broke a scoreless tie with three second-half goals to claim a 3-0 win over Western Oregon at WOU Soccer Field.
“It was a great team effort and we got great play off the bench,” said Coach
Chuck Sekyra.
The defending NCAA Division II champion Falcons improved to 7-0 overall with a win in their Great Northwest Athletic Conference opener.
Sophomore
Kelsey Jenkins (Kent, Wash./Kentwood HS) opened the scoring eight minutes into the second half. She headed in a cross from sophomore
Savanna Hanson (Centennial, Colo.) at 53:30 for her first goal of the season.
“The first goal came off one of the best balls I've ever seen played here in our program. It was a bent ball from the right flank, a little touch to K.J. who ran onto it and headed it past the keeper,” Sekyra described. “Savanna picked her out on her run. K.J. got opposite of her defensive center mid on a back post run, got inside the 18 and headed it from the PK spot. It was gorgeous.”
Jenkins is the daughter of Tommy Jenkins, who played with the original Seattle Sounders of the NASL from 1976-79. She scored two goals last season.
Sophomore
Mandy Verdoia (Salt Lake City, Utah) scored the second goal at 70:14. With her back to the goal, she spun and volleyed a 15-yard strike into the right side netting.
Freshman
Brittany Langdon (Irvine, Calif.) capped the scoring at 84:27, collecting a poor clearance and one-timing it into the upper right corner.
“We were sluggish in the first half, but we played SPU soccer in the second half and really had a good run. We scored three great goals,” Sekyra said. “It was maybe not our best complete game, but we definitely showed a lot of character to come out and put a team away that was playing well on the day.”
Brittney Rigtrup made one first-half save and Kelsie Blachly had four after halftime for the Wolves (1-4-3, 0-2), who were outshot by a 17-6 margin.
The defense was again dominant for SPU, holding Western Oregon to just two second-half shots.
The Falcons have not surrendered a goal this year through a school single-season record seven games. Including the end of last season, SPU has not allowed an opposing goal during their last 773-minutes, 7-seconds.
Junior
Maddie Dickinson (Vancouver, Wash./Skyview HS) and senior
Jesslyn Rahm Kellerman (Eugene, Ore.) combined for the shutout. Dickinson started in goal for SPU and stopped one shot before being replaced at halftime by Kellerman, who also was credited with one save.
SPU has not allowed a goal since the 55th minute of its Dec. 4, 2008 NCAA semifinal game, a 3-1 win over Metro State. The Falcons blanked West Florida for nearly 108 scoreless minutes in their 1-0 double-overtime championship victory on Dec. 6.
The Seattle Pacific women return home to host Saint Martin's in their first conference home game, Saturday, Sept. 19. Kickoff is 7 p.m. at Interbay Stadium.
NCAA Women's Soccer
Thursday, September 17, 2009
WOU Soccer Field/Monmouth, Ore.
(#1) Seattle Pacific 3, Western Oregon 0
Scoring -- 1, SPU,
Kelsey Jenkins (
Savanna Hanson), 53:30. 2, SPU,
Mandy Verdoia, 70:14. 3, SPU,
Brittany Langdon, 84:27.
Shots – SPU 17, WOU 6.
Saves –SPU 3 (
Jesslyn Rahm Kellerman 1,
Maddie Dickinson 1, Team 1),
WOU 7 (Brittney Rigtrup 1, Kelsie Blachly 4, Team 1).
Corner kicks – SPU 6, WOU 3.
Fouls – SPU 14, WOU 7.
Offsides – SPU 5, WOU 0.
Attendance -- 145.
Records
Seattle Pacific 7-0-0, 1-0-0 GNAC
Western Oregon 1-4-3, 0-2-0 GNAC
Next game
Saint Martin's at Seattle Pacific, Saturday, Sept. 19, 7:00 p.m.
