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     • VIDEO: Coach Chuck  Sekyra

SEATTLE – Anne Wethe and Sarah McTigue scored just 3 ½ minutes apart early in the second half on Saturday night as No. 2-ranked UC San Diego beat No. 10 Seattle Pacific 2-0 in a game between national women's soccer powers at Interbay Stadium.

The Tritons (1-0-1) and Falcons (1-1-0) met in last year's NCAA Division II West Region championship, with the Tritons prevailing, 1-0. UC San Diego went all the way to the national championship game before settling for second place.

Coach Chuck Sekyra doesn't regret scheduling a high-level, non-conference opponent this early in the 2011 season.

"We want to see where we're at and want to get challenged and see what we need to work on," he said before bringing up the prospect of a postseason pairing. "I hope we see San Diego again."

SPU attacked the Tritons goal early in the contest, attempting four consecutive shots in a couple-minute span. UCSD goalkeeper Kristin Armstrong turned away two of those challenges, the second one by smothering a close-range shot by sophomore Mackenzie Laird (Danville, Calif.) in the 13th minute.

Armstrong finished with four saves en route to her second shutout in as many games this season.

For the game the Tritons tried one more shot, edging SPU 13-12 on the stat sheet. Falcons sophomore Natalie Harold (Vancouver, Wash./Heritage HS) was credited with seven saves in her second collegiate start.

The game was evenly played until UCSD broke a scoreless tie eight minutes after halftime.

Wethe put UC San Diego on the board at 53:16 when she headed in a corner kick from Hayley Johnson. Wethe's header from the top of Harold's 6-yard box bounced hard off the turf and into the net.

The Tritons converted on their fifth corner kick of the game and finished with a 9-2 advantage in that statistical category.

"In the second half we just gave up too many fouls and let them serve balls on top of us, which created some corners," Sekyra explained. "Three or four corners in a row against a team like that in a two minute span, they're going to probably find one."

McTigue made it 2-0 at 56:47, taking a short pass from Gabi Hernandez and sending a shot bouncing into the back left corner. McTigue scored the lone goal in last season's Sweet 16 game against the Falcons.



The loss was just the second in the last 54 home games for Seattle Pacific (48-2-4) since September 2006. The Falcons surrendered more than one goal at Interbay Stadium for the first time in 26 games, a streak that dates back to Nov. 1, 2008.

The SPU women remain at home for two more games. They host Notre Dame de Namur, Thursday, Sept. 8 at 4:30 p.m. and NCAA Division I competitor Nebraska Omaha on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m.

"We've got to get it going on our home field," said Sekyra, who likes his Falcons possibilities as they pursue a ninth straight playoff berth.

"This is a really good team, a great team. It's one game and we'll get back on track Thursday."


NCAA WOMEN'S SOCCER
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Interbay Stadium/Seattle, Wash.

(#2) UC San Diego 2, (#10) Seattle Pacific 0

Scoring – 1, UCSD: Anne Wethe (Hayley Johnson), 53:16. 2, UCSD: Sarah McTigue (Gabi Hernandez), 56:47.

Shots – UCSD 13, SPU 12.
Saves – UCSD 7 (Kristin Armstrong), SPU 4 (Natalie Harold).
Corner kicks – UCSD 9, SPU 2.
Fouls – UCSD 14, SPU 14.
Offsides – UCSD 0, SPU 0.
Cautions – SPU: Brittany Langdon.
Ejections – None.
Attendance – 353.

Records –
Seattle Pacific 1-1-0
UC San Diego 1-0-1

Next game –
Notre Dame de Namur at Seattle Pacific
Thursday, Sept. 8, Interbay Stadium, 4:30 p.m.