Box Score    |    Final Stats

ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Seattle Pacific's stellar shot-maker and stingy shot-stopper were both on display Thursday.
 
Hannah Huesers scored her 40th career goal 41 seconds into the second half and goalkeeper Molly Stinson stopped a penalty kick to preserve Seattle Pacific's 1-1 tie with 25th-ranked Central Washington in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's game at CWU Soccer Complex.
 
The Falcons (6-2-2) moved to 3-1-1 in league play and remained in a second-place tie with Central Washington as both have 10 points. They are two points back of league-leading Western Washington.
 
Central (8-2-1) got on the board first, just over five minutes into the contest. Mackenzie Nolte raced to a long through ball that was struck from midfield by Keilin Farrand. Nolte beat a defender to the ball and dribbled into the left side of the box, facing a one-on-one with Stinson. She slipped a shot into the right side of the goal at 5:04.
 
That was the third goal of the season for Nolte, who got the game-winner in the 83rd minute of this season's first meeting between these Northwest rivals. The Wildcats were 1-0 winners in that Sept. 24 matchup in Seattle.
 
"Another hard fought game. The comments after the last time we played them was it was 'two good teams' and it certainly was two good teams again today," said SPU coach Arby Busey. "We got off to a bit of a slow start and they took advantage of us. But once we got our legs under us and got a foothold into the game we did some really, really good stuff and put them under some pressure."
 
The Wildcats managed to make Thursday's one-goal lead hold for the rest of the first half, but not much longer.
 
SPU equalized at 45:41 on Hueser's team-leading fifth goal of the season. A through pass from Kelly Gould freed Huesers into the left side of the box from where she fired an 18-yard shot past goalkeeper Emily Holt.
 
"We picked up a loose ball in the center at midfield. Kelly Gould, who had a fantastic game, kind of dug a ball out," Busey described. "She was on it and she saw Hannah making a run in behind the defense. Kelly just slipped it to a space that Hannah is comfortable with behind the defense. She ran in and just slotted it by the goalkeeper."
 
Huesers (Lake Stevens HS) was the 2015 GNAC and West Region Player of the Year. She led the league in scoring in both 2015 (14 goals) and 2014 (15).
 
The senior forward is listed fourth among the school's all-time scoring leaders with 40 career goals, nine shy of the standard of 49 established by Sarah Martinez (2004-07). She will move into a tie for the No. 3 spot with her next goal, joining Megan Lindsay (2009-12). Two more scores tie her for second with Shannon Lovejoy's 42 goals (2002-05).
 
Coach Busey has been on hand for all 40 of Hueser's goals, the last two years as head coach and the previous two as an assistant. He still marvels each time one of her shots finds the back of the net.
 
"She's a special person and a special player. It takes both to do what she's doing at the rate she's doing it. Hannah's got physical qualities that enable her to do things that people just can't stop. They have to hope that she misses. Today, in that moment, she didn't miss."

 

Stinson (Woodinville HS) was credited with six saves for the Falcons, who were outshot by a 20-14 margin. The junior goalkeeper preserved the draw by denying a penalty kick in the 73rd minute.
 
Reilly Retz stepped up to the 12-yard spot for Central, but her attempt was stopped as Stinson dove to her right to deflect the PK.
 
"Brilliant. It's great for Molly to have a moment like that," Busey exclaimed. "That one was her, on her own, making a massive play to keep us in the game. She read it well, got over and got both hands on it. She did a great job with it."
 
CWU's Holt was also credited with six saves.
 
The Falcons return home to host Concordia (Ore.) on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. That is the opener of a doubleheader with the SPU men, who play Western Washington in the 7 p.m. nightcap.
 
"We're in a part of our schedule now where they're just lined up for us and it's just one tough game after another," Busey said. "Going into overtime is certainly going to be something that adds fatigue to our legs, but we'll turn it around. We'll get our kids right tomorrow and get them prepared for what will be another extremely difficult opponent to play.
 
"It will be good for us to be back home in the friendly confines. When you come to a school like SPU, these are the kind of games that you expect to play and look forward to playing."
 
 
NCAA WOMEN'S SOCCER
Thursday, Oct. 4, 2016
CWU Soccer Complex / Ellensburg, Wash.
 
Seattle Pacific 1, at #25 Central Washington 1 (2ot)
 
                      1   2  OT  OT  --  TOTAL
Seattle Pacific       0   1   0   0  --    1
Central Washington    1   0   0   0  --    1
 
Scoring – 1, CWU, Mackenzie Nolte (Keilin Farrand), 5:04; 2, SPU, Hannah Huesers (Kelly Gould), 45:41.
 
Shots – SPU 14, CWU 20.
Saves – SPU 6 (Molly Stinson), CWU 6 (Emily Holt).
Corner Kicks – SPU 3, CWU 5.
Fouls – SPU 9, CWU 20.
Offsides – SPU 3, CWU 4.
 
Records
Seattle Pacific 6-2-2, 3-1-1 GNAC
Central Washington 8-2-1, 3-1-1 GNAC
 
Next SPU Women's Game
Concordia (Ore.) at Seattle Pacific
Thursday, Oct. 6, 4:30 p.m.
Interbay Stadium / Seattle, Wash.