• Boxscore & Play-by-Play

SEATTLE – They crossed two goals off their list in one night.

Megan Lindsay scored two second-half goals Thursday, helping 13th-ranked Seattle Pacific capture the Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's soccer championship and secure a playoff berth with a 3-0 win over Western Oregon at Interbay Stadium.

The Falcons successfully defended their 2009 league crown, claiming the title trophy for the seventh time in the 10 years since the GNAC was founded. They receive the conference's automatic postseason bid to guarantee an eighth straight NCAA Division II Tournament appearance.

“It's a feeling … GNAC champs, I can't describe it,” Lindsay exclaimed immediately after the game. She was thrilled to clinch the playoff berth at the same time.

“It feels so good to actually have that leeway and to have two more games to play until the NCAAs.”



The SPU women (13-1-2) improved to 10-1-1 in conference play for a first-place total of 31 points. They have a seven-point advantage over second-place Montana State Billings (8-4-0) with just two games to play.

The GNAC championship race came down to the final game the last two seasons, with the Falcons edging Western Washington in 2009. Those same Vikings won the 2008 GNAC crown by one point over SPU, which proceeded to claim the national title.

Chuck Sekyra coached that NCAA championship team and directed the Falcons into three of the last five Final Fours. He likes the tenacity of this season's squad.

“This team has dealt with a lot. There's been a lot of injuries and a lot of kids banged up and it just seems like whoever we put on the field, this group of women get it done.

“I think this is the earliest we've ever clinched a league title and I'm just very proud of that. It couldn't happen to a better group of women.”

The 2010 Falcons are approaching the feat of another SPU squad that was the most convincing victor in GNAC women's soccer history. In 2005, SPU topped the standings by nine points with a 10-0-2 league ledger.

After a scoreless first half Thursday during which they outshot WOU 10-3, Lindsay (Spokane, Wash./Gonzaga Prep) finally found the back of the net with the Falcons fourth shot after intermission.

The sophomore forward received a pass on the run from Kendall Thoreson (Seattle, Wash./King's HS) just past midfield and dribbled through the last defender 35 yards away from goal. Lindsay lined a 15-yard shot past onrushing WOU goalkeeper Brittney Rightrup at 50:33.

Thoreson was credited with an assist on the play, elevating her into the team lead with eight.

Falcons freshman Kellie Zakrzewski (Cheney, Wash./Cheney HS) scored her seventh goal nine minutes later. She ran on to a through pass from Brandi Hamre (Bremerton, Wash./Central Kitsap HS) at the right of the goal and sent an eight-yard strike into the left-side netting at 59:34.

Lindsay capped the scoring at 78:18 with her team-leading ninth goal of the season. She took a feed from freshman Stephanie Harold (Vancouver, Wash./Heritage HS) and directed a 25-yard blast into the upper left corner.

“Megan was a machine tonight. She's on a little bit of a roll and she's very hungry right now,” Sekyra said. “She's beating people a lot of different ways, breaking away from them, going one-v-one and hitting long shots. We saw a little bit of everything from Meg Lindsay tonight.”

Senior starter Maddie Dickinson (Vancouver, Wash./Skyview HS) combined with reserve Brooke Yokers (Kent, Wash./Kentridge HS) for SPU's ninth shutout. Dickinson played 81 minutes and recorded the team's only save before giving way to Yokers.

Rightrup, from nearby Renton, Wash., was stellar in goal for the Wolves (2-14-0) who dropped to 1-11-0 in GNAC play. She amassed nine saves, many of them stopping point-blank attempts by SPU, which compiled a 22-5 shot advantage.

“Their goalkeeper Brittney Rightrup had a great game and you've got to give her credit,” Sekyra said. “But I like how we stayed with it and the game opened up a little more after we got that first goal.”

The Seattle Pacific women play at home again on Saturday, hosting Saint Martin's at 4 p.m. That is the opening game of a doubleheader with the SPU men, who clash with SMU at 7 p.m.



NCAA WOMEN'S SOCCER
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Interbay Stadium/Seattle, Wash.

#13 Seattle Pacific 3, Western Oregon 0

Scoring – 1, SPU, Megan Lindsay (Kendall Thoreson), 50:33. 2, SPU, Kellie Zakrzewski (Brandi Hamre), 59:34. 3, SPU, Lindsay (Stephanie Harold), 78:18.

Shots – WOU 5, SPU 22.
Saves –WOU 9 (Brittney Rightrup), SPU 1 (Maddie Dickinson 1, Brooke Yokers 0).
Corners -- WOU 0, SPU 7.
Fouls – WOU 9, SPU 7.
Offsides – WOU 0, SPU 5.
Cautions – WOU 1 (Marina Austin), SPU 1 (Zakrzewski).
Ejections – None.
Attendance – 231.

Records –
Seattle Pacific 13-1-2, 10-1-1 GNAC
Western Oregon 2-14-0, 1-11-0 GNAC

Next game –
Saint Martin's at Seattle Pacific
Saturday, Oct. 30, 4:00 p.m., Interbay Stadium