Box Score   |  Final Stats  |  VIDEO: Ali Martin

TUKWILA, Wash. – Coach Chuck Sekyra placed his faith in two seniors Saturday. He was rewarded with pivotal performances from both.
 
Senior Ali Martin scored in the 12th minute and converted the first shootout penalty kick for Seattle Pacific, which won the tiebreaker 5-4 after battling 12th-ranked Western Washington to a 1-1 tie through two overtimes on Saturday in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's soccer championship game at Starfire Stadium.
 
The defending champion Falcons (12-4-3) collected their second GNAC Tournament title in the same manner they won the first last year, with a shootout win over Western following a 1-1 draw.
 
"We're good at this. It's déjà vu I guess," SPU coach Sekyra exclaimed.
 
"I'm just proud of my kids. They are resilient. They believed. One way or another our kids believed they were going to get it done today. That's a pretty powerful thing."


 
The SPU women were awarded the league's automatic berth into next week's NCAA Division II Tournament, stretching their streak of playoff appearances to 12 years. The 48-team tournament field will be announced on Monday at 4 p.m. on NCAA.com.
 
The Falcons would not have reached the NCAA playoffs without winning the GNAC Tournament.
 
"I'm really proud of that. I don't know if people realize how hard that is," Sekyra said of sustaining a long playoff streak. "My hope is next year that we are already in the NCAA Tournament before we play this tournament. But at the same time, I really don't feel like we have been outplayed by anyone this year.
 
"If we get healthy I honestly believe we can beat anyone in this country. I honestly do. This team is super talented."
 
Despite the shootout outcome, the official result is recorded as a tie, so the regular-season GNAC champion Vikings (16-0-4) remain undefeated.
 
Western shot first in the tiebreaker and converted its opening four penalty kicks, by Kim Cooper, Catherine Miles, Emily Webster and Brianna Jones. SPU answered with successful shots by Martin, Arden Matro, Brooke Pingrey and Heather Young.

 

Freshman goalkeeper Molly Stinson registered six saves for SPU during the 110-minutes of play. She was replaced by senior Alexa Hughes for the shootout.
 
That substitution paid dividends on the fourth Vikings attempt as Hughes dove to her right to stop a shot by Stephanie Hamilton.
 
"These last few weeks I've really gone with my gut on a lot of things and it feels pretty good," Sekyra said. "It may be odd to some people, but you've got to look at situations. It was just clear that Alexa is good at it and it was just the right decision."
 
The big save by Hughes gave defender Shayla Page a chance to secure the victory on the Falcons fifth attempt. She calmly directed her shot from the 12-yard spot into the left side of the goal to ignite an on-field celebration.
 
During regulation, SPU got on the scoreboard first on a goal by Martin 11:33 into the contest.
 
Tournament MVP Isabel Farrell started the scoring situation with a free kick from 15 yards outside the box. The junior midfielder served the ball toward the left side where it bounced around off a couple players before dropping to the turf near the penalty spot. Martin reached the ball first and poked an eight-yard shot into the right side of the Western goal.
 
That was the second goal of the season for the senior forward whose previous tally came in her only other start, on Oct. 30 in SPU's final home game. Martin started alongside the team's six other seniors in that contest.
 
Martin was a surprise starter in the tournament final as she played in just eight games before Saturday. Her insertion into the starting lineup was Sekyra's initial instinctual decision.
 
"Never underestimate the desire and determination of a senior," he explained. "I did follow a hunch. Sometimes you have to make decisions that are against the grain, but that you feel are right."

 

The Vikings capitalized on a free kick at 40:17 to even the score at 1-1.
 
Elise Aylward nearly broke free into the box, but had her heel clipped by SPU defender Taylor Hauck who was cautioned on the play. Aylward drove the 23-yard free kick from the left side, through the wall and inside the left post for the fifth goal of the season.
 
Alexa Diaz almost got the go-ahead goal for the Falcons four minutes after intermission. Her 12-yard header to the right side was saved at the crossbar by goalkeeper Ashley Haden.
 
Western had back-to-back dangerous chances in the 61st minute, both off the foot of Webster. She raced into the left side of the box and drove a 15-yard blast that was deflected by goalkeeper Stinson. Webster collected the rebound, but her put-back attempt was blocked by an SPU defender.
 
Each team attempted one shot during the first 10-minute overtime session.
 
Katherine Miccile made a dangerous run into the box two minutes into the final overtime, but her 14-yard shot was denied with a diving save at the left post by Stinson.
 
Haden was credited with four saves for Western, but was unable to stop any shots during the shootout.
 
 
NCAA WOMEN'S SOCCER
GNAC Tournament – Championship Game
Saturday, November 8, 2014
Starfire Stadium / Tukwila, Wash.
 
Seattle Pacific 1, #12 Western Washington 1 (2ot)
(SPU wins championship on 5-4 PK shootout)
 
Scoring – 1, SPU, Ali Martin, 11:33. 2, WWU, Elise Aylward, 40:17.
 
Shootout:
WWU:  Cooper (G), Miles (G), Webster (G), Jones (G), Hamilton (NG)
Goalkeeper – Ashley Haden
SPU: Martin (G), Matro (G), Pingrey (G), Young (G), Page (G)
Goalkeeper – Alexa Hughes
 
Shots – SPU 9, WWU 15.
Saves – SPU 6 (Molly Stinson), WWU 4 (Ashley Haden).
Fouls – SPU 9, WWU 11.
Corner Kicks – SPU 3, WWU 5.
Offsides – SPU 1, WWU 1.
 
Records
Seattle Pacific 12-4-3
Western Washington 16-0-4