• Complete Release (pdf)     |     • VIDEO: Kelly Gould

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9 –
Montana State Billings at Seattle Pacific
7:00 p.m. PDT, Interbay Stadium, Seattle, Wash.
• LiveStats:  www.sidearmstats.com/spu/wsoc
 
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11 –
Northwest Nazarene at Seattle Pacific
1:00 p.m. PDT, Interbay Stadium, Seattle, Wash.
• LiveStats:  www.sidearmstats.com/spu/wsoc
 
The Seattle Pacific women's soccer team starts its second swing through the Great Northwest Athletic Conference schedule with a pair of home games this week. The Falcons (5-3-1, 3-2-1 GNAC) are tied for second place in the league standings with Montana State Billings (5-2-1, 3-2-1), which visits Interbay Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. as the nightcap of a doubleheader with the men who kick off at 4:30 p.m. The Yellowjackets rallied behind two second-half goals to win this season's first meeting versus SPU, 2-0 on Sept. 27 in Billings. On Saturday, Oct. 11 the Falcons complete the four-game homestand with a 1 p.m. contest against Northwest Nazarene (3-4-3, 2-3-1). SPU was victorious in the last 26 encounters against the Crusaders, including a 4-1 win on Sept. 25 in Nampa, Idaho. 
 
Dynamic Duo
SPU is the highest scoring team in the conference with 19 goals. Eleven of those scores came from the prolific pair of Hannah Huesers (6) and Isabel Farrell (5), who rank first and second among GNAC scoring leaders.
 


Ticket Talk
Tickets for SPU soccer games can be purchased on game day at Interbay Stadium (3027 17th Ave. W., Seattle 98119). Ticket windows open one hour prior to kickoff. All seats are general admission and priced at $6 for adults and $3 for students and senior citizens. SPU students and staff are admitted free. Groups or teams of 10 or more may qualify for reduced ticket rates by calling (206) 281-2085 in advance.

 

Last Week
The Falcons drew a split of two home games last week, beginning with a tough 1-0 loss to Central Washington (Oct. 2) despite a 24-8 shot advantage. They outshot Saint Martin's 20-4 (Oct. 4) and this time got the win as well, by a 2-1 score. Hannah Huesers netted her team-leading sixth goal and Shayla Page headed in the game winner on a 66th-minute corner kick from Isabel Farrell.
 
Throw-Ins
The Falcons outshot their last eight opponents and lead that category 162-87 for the season (78-37 on goal) … SPU's Interbay Stadium had new AstroTurf installed during July ... Coach Chuck Sekyra recorded his 200th SPU victory on Sept. 18 in a 4-1 win over Simon Fraser.
 
GNAC Title Hunt
Seattle Pacific seeks to reclaim the GNAC regular-season championship after having its three-year streak halted with Western Washington wins in 2012 and 2013. The Falcons were projected second by a preseason poll of the league's coaches, but got two first-place votes. WWU was picked first, garnering the other six first-place tallies. SPU won eight of the 13 titles since the GNAC began sponsoring women's soccer in 2001.
 
Playoff Pursuit
The Falcons eye a return to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the 12th straight year. They won the 2008 national championship. Last season SPU reached the West Region semifinal before losing 2-0 at Western Washington. The Falcons advanced to the Final Four on three occasions (2005, 2007, 2008).
 
2014 Preview
Nine starters return from the 2013 GNAC Tournament champions, including first-team All-West Region forward Laura Moore who topped SPU with eight goals. Also back is Shayla Page, a two-time all-region defender who helped the team blank 11 opponents and compile a 0.72 goals against average. The top-nine goal producers return from last season's Falcons, who outscored foes 39-16. Alexa Diaz is back after distributing a team-leading eight assists in 2013. A trio of All-GNAC midfielders returns in senior Demi Waitley and juniors Emma Holm and Ashley Shaw. Senior Alexa Hughes takes over primary goalkeeping duties after not surrendering a goal in 180 minutes during 2013. Junior Isabel Farrell, a transfer from Washington, adds a dynamic midfield presence.
 
Scouting the Opponents
Montana State Billings (5-2-1, 3-2-1 GNAC) -- The Yellowjackets had a three-game winning streak stopped with Saturday's 1-0 loss to Western Washington. Alisa Sagdahl and Kari Kastelic lead the MSUB attack with two goals apiece. Goalkeeper Krystal Daniels compiled three shutouts and a 0.73 goals against average. Billings and SPU are tied for second place in the GNAC standings. The Yellowjackets won this season's first meeting 2-1, scoring two second-half goals on Sept. 27 in Billings.  Hannah Huesers netted SPU's lone tally in the seventh minute. The Falcons own a 15-4 series lead, outscoring the Yellowjackets 43-11 all-time.
 
Northwest Nazarene (3-4-3, 2-3-1 GNAC) -- The Crusaders defeated Simon Fraser 3-0 in their last outing to halt a three-game losing skid. They have played four double-overtime games in 10 outings this year, with two ties a win and a loss in those extra sessions. Lexi Fesenbek is the top playmaker in the GNAC with eight assists, having set up half of NNU's 16 goals. Goalkeeper Daniele Ortiz has two shutouts and a 1.47 goals against average. The Crusaders trail the all-time series with SPU by a 26-1 margin, their lone win coming in 2001 during the inaugural encounter. The Falcons won this season's first meeting 4-1 on Sept. 25 in Nampa, Idaho as the Falcons got goals from Shayla Page, Ashley Shaw, Isabel Farrell and Laura Moore.

 

Coach Chuck  Sekyra
In his 12th season, Chuck Sekyra has guided Seattle Pacific to a remarkable 202-32-18 record, three Final Four appearances and the 2008 national championship. Sekyra posted his 200th win on Sept. 18, 2013 with a 4-1 home victory over Simon Fraser. He directed the 2013 unit to the GNAC Tournament title. Seven of Sekyra's SPU squads won GNAC regular-season championships and all 12 of his teams participated in the NCAA Tournament. His Falcons advanced to the 2005 championship game. Sekyra was a defender on the SPU men's soccer teams that won back-to-back NCAA titles in 1985 and 1986. He served as an assistant men's coach at SPU in 1998 and 1999 under Cliff McCrath, then was an assistant women's coach at Washington for three years before being named head coach of the SPU women in 2003. Sekyra was named GNAC Coach of the Year six times (2003-05, 2007, 2009, 2011) and the Regional Coach of the Year in 2005 and 2007. He received the NSCAA National Coach of the Year award in 2007.
 
2013 Review
The SPU women registered a 15-6-1 overall record in 2013, won GNAC Tournament championship and participated in the postseason for the 11th straight season. They beat Sonoma State 1-0 in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament before falling 2-0 at Western Washington. The Falcons had a 10-4-0 conference record, finishing third in the GNAC standings. Graduated goalkeeper Natalie Harold was the GNAC Tournament MVP and defender Josie Graybeal is the only other departed starter. SPU outscored foes 39-16 led by the eight goals of Laura Moore and six from Hannah Huesers. The defense blanked 11 opponents.