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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 –
Seattle Pacific at Northwest Nazarene
3:00 p.m. PDT (4:00 pm MDT), NNU Soccer Field, Nampa, Idaho
• LiveStats:  http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/spu.portal
 
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 –
Seattle Pacific at Montana State Billings
11:00 a.m. PDT (12:00 p.m. MDT), Yellowjacket Field, Billings, Mont.
• Webcast & LiveStats:  http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/spu.portal
 
The Seattle Pacific women's soccer team (3-1-1, 1-0-1 GNAC) embarks on its first league road trip of the season with stops in Idaho and Montana this week. The Falcons visit Nampa on Thursday, Sept. 25 to meet Northwest Nazarene (2-1-3, 1-0-1) at 3 p.m. Pacific Time (4 p.m. Mountain) in a clash involving two of the four undefeated teams in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. SPU was victorious in the last 25 encounters with the Crusaders. On Saturday, Sept. 27 the Falcons visit Montana State Billings (2-1-1, 0-1-1) for an 11 a.m. PDT game (12 p.m. MDT). SPU won 3-0 last season after losing its previous two in Billings. After this week, the Falcons host a four-game homestand at Interbay Stadium.
 
Dynamic Defense
SPU outscored opponents 12-4 and has not surrendered more than one goal in any game. The team's 0.77 goals against average ranks second in the GNAC and No. 66 nationally. Falcons foes have been limited to 56 shots, just 23 of them directly on goal.
 
Player of the Week
SPU junior Shayla Page, who anchored a back line that limited opponents to single goals in both victories, received the GNAC Defensive Player of the Week award on Monday. She was brilliant as a central defender for the Falcons, who drew 1-1 in double overtime against sixth-ranked Western Washington on Saturday. The previously undefeated and untied Vikings' lone goal came on a free kick in the 87th minute. Page came out of the game in the 68th minute of last Thursday's 4-1 win over Simon Fraser and was not on the field when the Clan scored. SPU limited the visitors to seven shots. Page is a two-time all-region and All-GNAC honoree.


 
Throw-Ins
Chuck Sekyra recorded his 200th coaching victory at SPU on Sept. 18 with a 4-1 home win over Simon Fraser. He has a 200-30-18 record in 12 seasons ... Two of Isabel Farrell's four goals were game-winners, the top figure in the GNAC and No. 14 nationally ... The Falcons lead all GNAC teams in goals (11), goals per game (2.75) and assists (9).
 
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
Seattle Pacific seeks to return to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the 12th straight year. The Falcons won the 2008 national championship. Last season they reached the West Region semifinal before losing 2-0 at Western Washington. SPU 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
Northwest Nazarene (2-1-3, 1-0-1 GNAC) -- The Crusaders started conference play last week with a 3-1 win at Saint Martin's and 1-1 draw at Western Oregon. That was their third double-overtime tie in six games this season. Ashley Cook-Cox leads NNU with four points on one goal and two assists. Goalkeeper Daniele Ortiz has one shutout and a 1.80 goals against average. The Crusaders trail the all-time series with SPU by a 25-1 margin, their lone win coming in 2001 during the inaugural encounter. The Falcons won last season's first meeting 3-0 on Sept. 28 in Seattle behind a pair of goals from Hannah Huesers. SPU completed the 2013 season sweep with a 2-1 victory in Nampa on Oct. 17 as Laura Moore scored a goal and assisted on the other.
 
Montana State Billings (2-1-1, 0-1-1 GNAC) -- The Yellowjackets tied Saint Martin's 1-1 in their last outing after opening GNAC play with a 2-0 loss at Western Oregon. Alisa Sagdahl leads the MSUB attack with two goals. Goalkeeper Krystal Daniels compiled one shutout and a 0.95 goals against average. The Falcons won the last encounter 3-0 in Billings on Oct. 19, 2013 fueled by two Maddie Krauss goals. That stopped their two-game losing skid over games played at MSUB. In last year's first meeting, SPU rallied for a 2-1 victory in Seattle with goals during the final 10 minutes by Ashley Shaw and Demi Waitley. SPU owns a 15-3 series lead, outscoring the Yellowjackets 42-9 all-time.

 

Coach Chuck  Sekyra
In his 12th season, Chuck Sekyra has guided Seattle Pacific to a remarkable 200-30-18 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.