• Boxscore & Play-by-Play

BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Kellie Zakrzewski re-directed a teammate's 30-yard shot into the goal with 3:17 left in the final overtime Saturday as 13th-ranked Seattle Pacific solidified its position atop the Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's soccer standings with a 3-2 victory over Western Washington at Orca Field.

The defending conference champion Falcons (12-1-2) increased their league lead to seven points, improving to 9-1-1 with 28 points. Montana State Billings moved into second place with 21 points on a 7-4-0 record and WWU dropped into a third-place tie with 20 points and a 6-3-2 mark.

“It's in our hands, so we have to take care of business and take it one game at a time,” said Coach Chuck Sekyra, who directed SPU to five GNAC championships in his previous seven seasons.

Zakrzewski (Cheney, Wash./Cheney HS) netted the third golden goal of the season for SPU, ending the contest at 106:43.

WWU goalkeeper Jamie Arthurs punched a cross from Kelsey Jenkins (Kent, Wash./Kentwood HS) out of the box. SPU junior defender Janie Wurth (La Mirada, Calif.) got the ball and sent a hard strike goalward from 12 yards outside the penalty area. Zakrzewski altered that shot's path from the center of the box, sending it into the right-side netting. That was the sixth goal for the freshman forward.

The Vikings (9-3-3) had forced overtime with just 1:23 left in regulation. Molly Shannon's header near the post deflected off the crossbar before dropping into the goal at 88:37.

“It was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster,” said SPU coach Chuck Sekyra. “I give Western a lot of credit, they never gave up, battled back and scored a great goal to put it to overtime.”

“But, I give my kids all the credit in the world, they came back and scored an amazing goal. After Western tied it late, our kids just said 'It's going to be a little harder now, but we're going to do it.'”

WWU scored first at 32:31 on a seven-yard header by Kristin Maris off a cross from Emily Warman.

The Falcons answered just over two minutes later when sophomore Megan Lindsay (Spokane, Wash./Gonzaga Prep) fired a shot that caromed off Arthurs and trickled across the goal line at 34:51.

Lindsay scored again, putting SPU ahead 11 minutes into the second half with her team-leading seventh goal. She picked up a rebound of a missed shot by Zakrzewski and re-directed it into the goal from six yards out at 55:51.

Both goalkeepers were busy as the Vikings compiled a 22-19 shooting edge, including a 5-0 advantage during the first extra period. SPU attempted the only two shots in the second overtime.

SPU senior Maddie Dickinson (Vancouver, Wash./Skyview HS) stopped seven shots in a winning effort. Arthurs had eight saves for the Vikings.

The win was SPU's first in Bellingham since 2007. The Falcons lead the all-time series 14-4-3 despite a 2-3-2 record in the last seven meetings.

The Vikings won this season's first encounter, a 1-0 decision on Sept. 30 in Seattle on an 89th-minute goal by Maris.

The Seattle Pacific women return home for their final three regular season games, beginning on Thursday, Oct. 28 against Western Oregon. Kick-off is 7 p.m. at Interbay Stadium.


NCAA WOMEN'S SOCCER
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Orca Field/Bellingham, Wash.

#13 Seattle Pacific 3, Western Washington 2 (2ot)

Scoring – 1, WWU, Kristin Maris (Emily Warman), 32:31. 2, SPU, Megan Lindsay, 34:51. 3, SPU, Lindsay (Kellie Zakrzewski), 55:51. 4, WWU, Molly Shannon (Maris, Joana Houplin), 88:37. 4, SPU, Zakrzewski (Janie Wurth), 106:43.

Shots – SPU 19, WWU 22.
Saves –SPU 7 (Maddie Dickinson), WWU 8 (Jamie Arthurs).
Corners -- SPU 8, WWU 6.
Fouls – SPU 10, WWU 6.
Offsides – SPU 2, WWU 1.
Cautions – SPU 3 (Hanna Masson, bench, Megan Lindsay), WWU 2 (Jackie Thomas, Kristin Maris).
Ejections – None.
Attendance – 393.

Records –
Seattle Pacific 12-1-2, 9-1-1 GNAC
Western Washington 9-3-3, 6-3-2 GNAC

Next game –
Western Oregon at Seattle Pacific
Thursday, Oct. 28, 7 p.m., Interbay Stadium