Box Score

SEATTLE – She's not the top goal producer on the team. But Laura Moore sure scores them when it matters most.
 
Moore's goal just over four minutes into the second half Thursday proved to be the only score 19th-ranked Seattle Pacific needed in a 1-0 Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's soccer victory at Montana State Billings.
 
The three-point result came at Yellowjacket Field where the second-place Falcons (9-2-1) had won just once in their previous three visits. They picked up their fourth consecutive victory, improving to 5-2-1 in league play.
 
Thursday's result follows Saturday's 3-1 win at Western Oregon that started a four-game road trip.
 
"Wins are hard to come by this time of year at times and this is a good one for us to get," said SPU interim coach Arby Busey. "It was the second game, back-to-back, on the road in places we've struggled in the past. We struggled because these are quality opponents.
 
"Today we were very professional in our approach. We got in, got a goal, it stood up, and we got out of Dodge."
 
The teams battled to a scoreless draw during the opening 45 minutes. SPU attempted three shots to just two for the hosts. Each goalkeeper was forced to make only one save.
 
The deadlock was quickly breached after halftime. SPU sophomore Mickayla Mury played a through pass into the right side of the box. Moore barely beat a defender to the ball and nudged it inside the near post from six yards out at 49:12.

 

Mury (Kelso HS) was credited with her fourth assist. She recorded an assist in each of the last four games.
 
"Mickayla's been in good form in regards to setting teammates up," Busey described. "She's got teammates that are moving into places where she can find them and she's delivering some great balls and putting people in places where they can score."
 
Moore (Kentwood HS) has five goals this season to rank second on the team behind the league-leading 10 of Hannah Huesers. Four of Moore's five were game-winning goals. The senior midfielder has netted 10 game-winners among her 19 career goals.
 
Busey singled out Moore's feel for the game as the reason for her uncanny knack of scoring goals in decisive situations.
 
"It's just her ability to see the game and see opportunity off the ball. There are a lot of people that, as they play, are drawn to the ball. Laura is drawn to spaces where the ball could end up, either by bounces or by teammates playing balls into those spaces.
 
"And then once she gets there, she's pretty lethal. She's very good technically, can use either foot and does a great job of placing the ball out of the reach of the goalkeeper when she finds herself in those situations."
 
The Yellowjackets (5-5-2) dropped their third straight decision and saw their GNAC record fall to 3-4-1.
 
Sophomore goalkeeper Molly Stinson (Woodinville HS) stopped four shots for SPU en route to her fifth shutout. Billings made one final attempt at an equalizer with six seconds remaining, but a shot from the top of the box by Elizabeth Howard was grabbed by Stinson.
 
Goalkeeper Chloe Hopps made four saves for the Yellowjackets, who were outshot by 10-6 margin.
 
The Falcons fly home to Seattle to attend classes on Friday before heading to Bellingham on Saturday for a 7 p.m. clash against No. 2 Western Washington at Harrington Field.
 
The Vikings dealt SPU its last loss, a 1-0 decision on Oct. 1 in Seattle.
 
"We're excited for every game this time of year, but certainly playing Western Washington and the history between the two programs and the success of both programs makes it a special game for both teams," said Busey. "We're trying to improve ourselves and continue to grow in hopes of getting an opportunity to play in the postseason. And certainly playing a formidable opponent like a Western Washington is how you get better.
 
"We have a ton of respect for them and know that they make us better whenever we play them. We're going to have to be at the top of our game to stand a chance up there on the road."
 
The next home game for the SPU women is Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. versus Saint Martin's.
 
 
NCAA WOMEN'S SOCCER
Thursday, Oct. 15, 2015
Yellowjacket Field / Billings, Mont.
 
(#19) Seattle Pacific 1, at Montana State Billings 0
 
Scoring – 1, SPU, Laura Moore (Mickayla Mury), 49:12.
 
Shots – SPU 10, MSUB 6.
Saves –SPU 4 (Molly Stinson), MSUB 4 (Chloe Hopps).
Corner Kicks – SPU 2, MSUB 3.
Fouls – SPU 7, MSUB 8.
Offsides – SPU 0, MSUB 1.
 
Records
Seattle Pacific 9-2-1, 5-2-1 GNAC
Montana State Billings 5-5-2, 3-4-1 GNAC
 
Next SPU Women's Game
(#19) Seattle Pacific at (#2) Western Washington
Saturday, Oct. 17, 7:00 p.m.
Harrington Field / Bellingham,Wash.