• Boxscore & Play-by-Play

SEATTLE – Whitney Siler's 45-yard free kick bounced over the Seattle Pacific goalkeeper for the only goal of the game Thursday, lifting Montana State Billings to a 1-0 win in a clash of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's soccer leaders at Interbay Stadium.

The loss halted a six-game winning streak for the 14th-ranked Falcons (7-2), who fell to 4-1 with their first league loss. The Yellowjackets (7-1-1) leapfrogged SPU into first place by one point, compiling 13 points by virtue of a 4-0-1 GNAC mark.

Billings parlayed what appeared to be a harmless hand-ball call on Falcons junior Taylor Sawyer (Gig Harbor, Wash./North Mason HS) near midfield into the contest's lone tally. Siler hit a looping shot that bounced inside the box, carried over SPU's onrushing goalkeeper Natalie Harold (Vancouver, Wash./Heritage HS) and floated into the goal at 76:47.

Siler's second score of the season stopped SPU's defensive streak of scoreless minutes at 552-minutes, 41-seconds. The goal came on the only shot of the second half for MSUB, which was outshot by an 18-1 margin in that 45-minute period.

Yellowjackets goalkeeper Danielle Gordon was credited with six saves en route to her fifth shutout. Five of her saves came after halftime, when SPU turned up the pressure.

After posting a slim 5-3 shot advantage during an evenly played first half, SPU dominated second-half possession and attempted 13 consecutive shots before Siler's free kick. The final shot count was 23-4 in favor of the Falcons.

Reserve forward Kellie Zakrzewski (Cheney, Wash./Cheney HS) had two dangerous chances inside the final 10 minutes. The first was blocked and the other traveled a foot wide of the left post in the 88th minute.

Harold, an SPU sophomore, stopped one shot. She surrendered her first goal in six games, dating back to Sept. 8.

The victory was the Yellowjackets first ever over SPU after losing the first 11 meetings.

The Seattle Pacific women seek to get back on track Saturday when they conclude a four-game homestand against Northwest Nazarene. Kick-off is 1 p.m. at Interbay Stadium.


NCAA WOMEN'S SOCCER
Thursday, Sept. 29, 2011
Interbay Stadium/Seattle, Wash.

Montana State Billings 1, at (#14) Seattle Pacific 0

Scoring – 1, MSUB, Whitney Siler, 76:47.

Shots – MSUB 4, SPU 23.
Saves – MSUB 6 (Danielle Gordon), SPU 1 (Natalie Harold).
Corner kicks – MSUB 3, SPU 6.
Fouls – MSUB 7, SPU 6.
Offsides – MSUB 0, SPU 0.
Attendance – 286.

Records
Seattle Pacific 7-2-0,  4-1-0 GNAC
Montana State Billings 7-1-1,  4-0-1 GNAC

Next game
Northwest Nazarene at Seattle Pacific
Saturday, Oct. 1, 1:00 p.m., Interbay Stadium