• Boxscore & Play-by-Play

BILLINGS, Mont. – The Seattle Pacific women were on a mission. Not even 60-mile-per-hour gusts could divert them from their objective.
 
Freshman Riley Dopps scored the game-winning goal with 1:32 left on the clock Saturday as the 13th-ranked Falcons avenged their only league loss with a 2-1 victory over Montana State Billings in extremely windy conditions at Yellowjacket Field.
 
Coach Chuck Sekyra's squad had clinched its third straight Great Northwest Athletic Conference championship on Thursday. Afterwards he noted that the mark of a true champion would be to defeat every opponent in the league. SPU set out to secure such a sweep Saturday.
 
The Falcons (15-2) entered the encounter without a win over Billings, which was responsible for the only blemish on SPU's league ledger. The Yellowjackets posted a 1-0 win in Seattle on Sept. 29 in the first meeting.
 
Seattle Pacific was victorious in Saturday's rematch, stretching their season-best winning streak to eight games with their 12th win in the last 13 matchups against MSUB (10-3-4).
 
“It feels awesome. You want to make sure that everyone looks at us and knows that we are truly the GNAC champs,” said Sekyra, whose squad improved its conference record to 12-1. “There's no doubt now, absolutely no doubt. That feels great and I'm proud of our players.”
 
Tied 1-1 at intermission, the SPU women controlled the run of play throughout the second half. They outshot Billings 15-0 after halftime and attempted six corner kicks while surrendering none.
 
The second-half domination finally paid off with the late goal by Dopps (Port Orchard, Wash./South Kitsap HS), who ran on to a long through ball and sent a 15-yard strike into the lower right side at 88:28. That was the fourth score of the season for Dopps and her first game-winning goal.
 
“What a great run. It was like we drew it up,” exclaimed SPU coach Chuck Sekyra. “A great service and a great belief by Riley to make that run with just over a minute left and then she just took it off a short hop like a half-volley. It was a great finish.”
 
Senior Brooke Yokers (Kent, Wash./Kentridge HS) stopped three shots while improving her personal record to 6-0 as SPU's starting goalkeeper.
 
Danielle Gordon came up with five saves for the Yellowjackets, who were outshot 21-8 for the game. Billings saw its conference record fall to 7-2-4.
 
Despite attacking into the strong wind, SPU scored first at 29:56. Senior Brandi Hamre (Bremerton, Wash.) found the goal for the third successive game. She gathered the rebound of a missed shot by teammate Megan Lindsay (Spokane, Wash./Gonzaga Prep) and blasted it into the lower left corner from 22 yards away.
 
"It was unbelievable in the first half. Things were tipping over, including the benches. It was scary,” Sekyra described. “Our players were amazing. They fought through horrible conditions and showed a lot of character.”
 
MSUB equalized shortly before halftime when Jennifer Larsen delivered a 24-yard scoring shot into the lower right off a through pass from Jaucelyn Richter at 40:59.
 
The Falcons conclude the regular season at home on Saturday, Nov. 5. They host Central Washington for a 1 p.m. conference game at Interbay Stadium.
 
SPU received the GNAC's automatic qualifying berth and will make its ninth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Division II Tournament. The playoff field will be announced on Nov. 7.


NCAA WOMEN'S SOCCER
Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011
Yellowjacket Field/Billings, Mont.

(#13) Seattle Pacific 2, at Montana State Billings 1

Scoring – 1, SPU, Brandi Hamre (Megan Lindsay), 29:56; 2, MSUB, Jennifer Larsen (Jaucelyn Richter), 40:59. 3, SPU, Riley Dopps (Andrea Chan), 88:28.

Shots – SPU 21, MSUB 8.
Saves – SPU 3 (Brooke Yokers), MSUB 5 (Danielle Gordon).
Corner kicks – SPU 7, MSUB 1.
Fouls – SPU 3, MSUB 4.
Offsides – SPU 0, MSUB 0.
Ejections – None.

Records
Seattle Pacific 15-2-0,  12-1-0 GNAC
Montana State Billings 10-3-4,  7-2-4 GNAC

Next game
Central Washington at Seattle Pacific
Saturday, Nov. 5, 1 p.m., Interbay Stadium