• Complete Release (pdf)     |     • VIDEO: Shayla Page

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3 –
Humboldt State at Seattle Pacific
4:30 p.m. PDT, Interbay Stadium, Seattle, Wash.
 
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 –
Chico State at Seattle Pacific
12:00 p.m. PDT, Interbay Stadium, Seattle, Wash.
 
• LiveStats for both games:  http://www.sidearmstats.com/spu/wsoc/
 
The Seattle Pacific women's soccer team is under new leadership, but the goal remains the same ... to extend a string of NCAA Division II Tournament appearances to 13. The Falcons (0-0), directed by interim head coach Arby Busey, commence the 2015 campaign at home, beginning on Thursday, Sept. 3 against Humboldt State (0-0). Kick-off is 4:30 p.m. as the opener of an Interbay Stadium doubleheader with the men's soccer team that plays at 7 p.m. The Falcons own an 11-1-1 series advantage over Humboldt, which has not defeated SPU since 2002. On Saturday, Sept. 5 the SPU women entertain Chico State (0-0) at noon. The Wildcats were 1-0 victors last season in Chico, their first win in 12 all-time meetings with SPU. The Falcons hit the road for the first time next week, visiting the Bay Area to clash with Notre Dame de Namur (Sept. 10) and Cal State East Bay (Sept. 12).
 
Season Openers
Seattle Pacific begins its 15th year of women's soccer competition with a 10-2-2 record in season-opening games. The Falcons are 13-0-1 in all-time home openers.

Ticket Talk
Season tickets are available now to secure seats for all the SPU soccer action. To reserve your season tickets now, click on THIS LINK or for a brochure CLICK HERE.. Individual game tickets for SPU soccer games can be purchased at Interbay Stadium (3027 17th Ave. W., Seattle 98119) on game day. Ticket windows open one hour prior to kickoff. All seats are general admission, priced at $6 for adults and $3 for students and senior citizens. SPU students and staff are admitted free with i.d. Discounted group rates can be arranged by contacting the SPU Athletics Ticket Office in advance at:  206-281-2085.


 
Playoff Pursuit
Seattle Pacific seeks to return to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the 13th straight year. The Falcons won the 2008 national championship. Last season they suffered a 2-1 double-overtime, first-round loss to Cal State Stanislaus in Bellingham. SPU advanced to the Final Four on three occasions (2005, 2007, 2008).
 
2015 Preview
Seven starters return from the 2014 GNAC Tournament champions, including the league's Player of the Year and its leading scorer. Senior midfielder Isabel Farrell took home the league's top individual honor last year along with the Newcomer of the Year award, after transferring from Washington. She compiled eight goals and seven assists. Junior forward Hannah Huesers topped all GNAC scorers with 15 goals in 2014 and five of those were game-winning strikes. Those two were joined on the first-team all-conference squad by senior midfielder Laura Moore, who tallied four goals and seven assists for the Falcons. Returning players accounted for 32 goals last season, helping SPU outscore opponents by a 38-16 margin. The stingy SPU defense features second-team All-GNAC selection Shayla Page, a senior. Sophomore goalkeeper Molly Stinson took over the starting job for the final five games in 2014 and forged two shutouts and a fine 0.48 goals against average. Adding to the talent base are six veterans that each drew at least one start last year along with eight incoming freshman and Northern Arizona transfer Maddie Sjothun.
 
Throw-In
Arby Busey is the third coach in the 15-year history of SPU women's soccer. He follows Chuck Sekyra (2003-14), who resigned in January, and Bobby Bruch (2001-02).

 

Dynamic Duo
SPU was the highest scoring team in the conference with 38 goals during the 2014 season. Of those scores, 23 came from the prolific pair of Hannah Huesers (15) and Isabel Farrell (8), who ranked first and second among GNAC scoring leaders.
 
This Week's Opponents
Humboldt State (0-0-0) -- Coach Paul Karver saw the Lumberjacks' record improve in each of his first two seasons, capped by a 6-11-0 mark in 2014. Twelve new players fill the roster and defender Eric McMullen is the lone returning player that started all 17 games last year. Thursday marks the first meeting between these teams since the Falcons opened the 2010 season with a 3-0 win over Humboldt in Seattle. SPU owns an 11-1-1 series advantage and has not lost to the Lumberjacks since 2002.
 
Chico State (0-0-0) -- The Wildcats return six starters from a team that placed second in the CCAA and recorded a 12-5-2 overall record to narrowly miss an NCAA berth. In her 16th season at Chico, and 21st at an NCAA school, Kim Sutton is four wins shy of her 200th coaching victory. She will rely on the quick maturation of a huge class of 18 freshmen on the 32-player roster. SPU was unbeaten in 11 all-time meetings before the Wildcats stopped that streak with a 1-0 decision last year on Sept. 10 in Chico. The Falcons still own an 8-1-3 series advantage.
 
Coach Arby Busey
Arby Busey begins his 10th year on the Seattle Pacific staff and his first as the interim head coach. He served the previous nine seasons as an assistant to Chuck Sekyra, who resigned in January after compiling a 209-34-20 record in 12 seasons. Busey is the third coach in the 15-year history of the program. That list includes the two-year stint of inaugural coach Bobby Bruch, who compiled a 21-14-3 mark from 2001-02. From his assistant post since 2006, Busey helped the Falcons to an impressive 95-30-12 record and playoff appearances each season. SPU won the 2008 NCAA Division II championship and reached the 2007 national semifinals during his tenure. Previously, Busey served as the head women's soccer coach at the University of Idaho from 2002-04 after two years as an assistant. He then returned to his Alma Mater as an assistant from 2005-06. He played at Villanova and graduated in 1993. Busey's first coaching job was an assistant post at Mercer Island (Wash.) High School from 1994-98. He has worked as an elite-level club coach with the Olympic Development Program, Northwest Nationals and Crossfire Premier.
 
2014 Review
The Falcons fashioned a 12-5-3 overall record in 2014 and tied for second in the GNAC with a 9-3-2 mark. They captured their second straight GNAC Tournament championship with a tiebreaker triumph over regular-season winner Western Washington after the teams tied 1-1. SPU made its 12th consecutive NCAA playoff appearance, but fell 2-1 in double overtime to Cal State Stanislaus in the opening round. Four starters departed from that squad, including midfielders Demi Waitley and Alexa Diaz along with defender Arden Matro. Goalkeeper Alexa Hughes started the first 15 games in 2014 before being replaced by Molly Stinson. SPU outscored foes 38-16 led by the 15 goals of GNAC leader Hannah Huesers and eight from league MVP Isabel Farrell.