Box Score                • Final Stats      |      • VIDEO: Coach Chuck Sekyra
 
SEATTLE – Ali Martin scored the equalizer late in the first half Saturday, but the Seattle Pacific women committed an own goal five minutes later and lost 2-1 to second-ranked Western Washington in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference soccer game at Interbay Stadium.
 
The Falcons (8-4) lost their second straight outing to drop to 5-3 in league play.
 


The first-place Vikings (11-0) remained undefeated overall and are 8-0 in GNAC games. They swept the season series from SPU, including a 2-1 win in Bellingham on Oct. 3.
 
"It was a very different game against Western than it was up there," said SPU coach Chuck Sekyra. His Falcons were outshot 17-3 in the first meeting between the Northwest rivals, with an 11-1 second-half deficit.
 
"I'm just really proud of my players. They played well enough, and certainly played hard enough to give themselves a chance to win. I don't take losing well and we don't lose a lot of games, but certainly give Western credit. They came down and played well enough to get it done. "
 
WWU struck first just 2:01 into the contest. Stephanie Hamilton slid a through pass into the box. Catherine Miles collected the ball and deposited a low, 14-yard shot into the left corner for her team-leading eighth goal.
 
Martin (Beaverton, Ore.) capitalized on two Vikings miscues to bring SPU level at 1-1. The junior forward intercepted an errant back pass on the left side of the box and hit a 14-yard shot that trickled through the legs of WWU goalkeeper Alyssa Beahchamp and into the right side of the goal at 31:36.
 
The Vikings benefited from an error for the decisive score when Caitlyn Jobanek's cross from the right flank was headed into the goal by SPU defender Kelly Gould at 36:33.
 
"It's tough. I mean it's just unlucky," Sekyra said. "They are a team that's playing well and getting some breaks. That's what happens when you are playing well.
 
"It was unfortunate, but it's just the breaks of the game. I felt like we played well enough to get a couple goals on them tonight."
 
The Falcons applied steady pressure on the visitor's after halftime, posting a 7-3 shot advantage while taking six corner kicks and allowing none. But they were unable to tally another tying goal.
 
The final attempt came with 28 seconds remaining on a 12-yard header by Martin from the center of the box. That last-ditch effort was caught by Beauchamp, who was credited with seven saves for WWU, which was outshot 10-6 for the game.

Senior goalkeeper Natalie Harold (Vancouver, Wash./Heritage HS) stopped three shots for SPU.
 
"Nat was sharp tonight. She was very good," said Sekyra. "I feel bad for her, she's had some weird goals go in that haven't been her fault. But I have so much confidence in Nat and thought she was super tonight."
 
The Falcons embark on a two-game road trip next week, starting on Thursday at Northwest Nazarene. They return home to Interbay Stadium on Oct. 24 to host Saint Martin's at 7 p.m.
 
Sekyra believes that success will come if his team continues to play like they did Saturday.
 
"That effort, that energy and that level of play will get us where we want to go in the end I believe. If we keep playing that hard, at that level and create those kind of chances we'll start getting those breaks."
 
 
NCAA WOMEN'S SOCCER
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Interbay Stadium / Seattle, Wash.
 
(#2) Western Washington 2, at Seattle Pacific 1
 
Scoring – 1, WWU, Catherine Miles (Stephanie Hamilton), 2:01; 2, SPU, Ali Martin, 31:36; 3, WWU, own goal, 36:33.
 
Shots – WWU 6, SPU 10.
Saves – WWU 7 (Alyssa Beauchamp), SPU 3 (Natalie Harold).
Corner Kicks – WWU 1, SPU 7.
Fouls – WWU 9, SPU 3.
Offsides – WWU 1, SPU 0.
 
Records
Seattle Pacific 8-4-0, 5-3-0 GNAC
Western Washington 11-0-0, 8-0-0 GNAC
 
Next game
Seattle Pacific at Northwest Nazarene
Thursday, Oct. 17, 12:30 p.m. PDT
NNU Soccer Field / Nampa, Idaho