• Boxscore & Play-by-Play

NAMPA, Idaho – Heather Young assisted on a pair of goals during the opening 19 minutes Saturday, including the game-winner by Megan Lindsay that pushed the Seattle Pacific women past Northwest Nazarene 3-1 in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference contest at NNU Soccer Field.
 
The three-time defending GNAC champion Falcons (4-2) posted their first league win after losing Thursday's opener 2-1 at Montana State Billings.
 
“This was a great bounce-back game and I'm really proud of the girls,” said SPU coach Chuck Sekyra. “We created a lot of chances to score goals today. I liked the pressure we put on their back line and goal.”
 
A forward from Lacombe, Alberta, Young set the first scoring situation in motion with a serve from the right flank. Sophomore Annie Thomas (Lake Stevens, Wash./Lake Stevens HS) was on the receiving end of the cross and scored from 10 yards out at 14:55. That was her first goal of the season.
 
Just over four minutes later, Thomas delivered a pass to Lindsay, who dribbled down the middle of the field for a one-on-one meeting with the Crusaders goalkeeper. Lindsay (Spokane, Wash./Gonzaga Prep HS) dribbled around Tanya Zickefoose and directed the ball in the back of the net at 19:00 for her second goal of the year.
 
That was the 31st career goal for Lindsay, who moved into a third-place tie with Jocelyn Charette among SPU's all-time scoring leaders.
 
Sekyra had hoped to get Young more involved and the sophomore didn't disappoint, taking over the team's playmaking lead with three assists on the season.
 
“Heather was great for us today, just really good on the ball. She got the ball more than she did against Billings and that was our goal today, to get her on the ball a little bit more. When she had the ball she created chances and she played two great balls for goals.”
 
NNU drew within 2-1 at 57:52 after Jenny Field gathered a deflection in the Falcons goalmouth and drove it into the goal from five yards away.
 
SPU got an insurance tally at 59:21 when sophomore Ali Martin (Beaverton, Ore.) was fouled in the box and converted the subsequent penalty kick for her team-leading third goal.
 
Junior Natalie Harold (Vancouver, Wash./Heritage) made six saves for the Falcons, who were outshot by a 10-8 margin.
 
Zickefoose stopped four shots for the Crusaders (3-3), who dropped to 0-2 in conference play after suffering their 22nd consecutive loss against SPU.
 
The Falcons return to Seattle for their conference home opener on Wednesday, Sept. 19 against Western Washington. Kick-off is 7 p.m. at Interbay Stadium.
 
“I'm very pleased with what I saw out there today and am looking forward to next week. It's going to great to be home and play Western,” said Sekyra.
 
NCAA WOMEN'S SOCCER
Saturday, September 15, 2012
NNU Soccer Field/Nampa, Idaho
 
Seattle Pacific 3, at Northwest Nazarene 1
 
Scoring – 1, SPU, Annie Thomas (Heather Young), 14:55; 2, SPU, Megan Lindsay (Young), 19:00, 3, NNU, Jenny Field, 57:52; 4, SPU, Ali Martin (PK), 59:21.
 
Shots – SPU 8, NNU 10.
Saves –SPU 6 (Natalie Harold), NNU 4 (Tanya Zickefoose).
Corner kicks – SPU 2, NNU 1.
Fouls – SPU 10, NNU 8.
Offsides – SPU 7, NNU 0.
 
Records:
Seattle Pacific 4-2-0,  1-1-0 GNAC
Northwest Nazarene 3-3-0,  0-2-0 GNAC
 
Next Game:
Western Washington at Seattle Pacific
Wednesday, Sept. 19, 7:00 p.m. PDT, Interbay Stadium