Box Score    |    Final Stats

PORTLAND, Ore. – Coach Arby Busey was certain his Falcons would eventually get a goal. He just wanted that confidence to be validated earlier in the game.
 
Maddie Krauss lofted a long shot from well outside the box into the upper left corner with exactly one minute left in the final overtime Thursday, lifting Seattle Pacific to a 1-0 victory over Humboldt State in a non-conference women's soccer contest.
 
The senior forward broke a scoreless deadlock at the 109-minute mark of the neutral-site matchup at Concordia's Tuominen Yard.
 
"It took longer than any of us wanted it to, but we showed a tremendous amount of belief," said Busey, SPU's second-year head coach. "There was never a letdown or a thought that it wasn't going to happen. It just took longer than any of us thought it would."
 
Krauss' golden goal helped the Falcons (1-0-0) improve to 12-2-2 in all-time season-starting games. They avoided becoming the first SPU squad to be shut out on opening day since 2002.
 
SPU posted a 5-2 shot advantage during the extra sessions. Prior to the game-winner, the closest chance came at the end of the first 10-minute overtime when freshman Megan Moore (Santa Rosa, Calif.) had an attempt saved by Humboldt goalkeeper Alex Dumas.
 
The Falcons had two shots during the second overtime, both of them from Krauss (Lake Oswego, Ore.). Her header off a corner kick sailed over the crossbar in the 105th minute. Four minutes later she ran onto to a ball in the center of the field and sent a 35-yard shot in for the decisive tally.
 
"We won it at the top of our box and played it back to Maddie Krauss who kind of turned, got a good look at goal and didn't get put under any pressure so she hammered it," Busey described.
 
"It was a good finish and Maddie can do that. It doesn't seem like that's in anybody's range, but she finds those kinds of opportunities and has scored goals like that before in games and in training."
 
That was the eighth career goal for Krauss and her second game-winner.
 
The overtime heroics would not have been possible without the four saves of junior goalkeeper Molly Stinson (Woodinville HS) and a significant defensive stop by sophomore defender Kaytlin Willis (Snohomish HS).
 
"Molly was solid. When we needed her, she rose up and did a great job of keeping us in it," said Busey. "They were dangerous on the counter attack and had a couple good opportunities where we needed Molly to step up big."
 
The Falcons turned back Humboldt four times during a frenetic four-minute stretch late in the first half. Stinson saved a shot from Bridget Daley in the 36th minute and then denied Lindsay Stoner in the 38th.
 
One minute later an Alex Jenkins shot sneaked past Stinson and was slowly bouncing toward the SPU goal before Willis cleared it off the line to prevent a certain score.
 
"It would have gone into the goal had she not dealt with it," Busey said. "It was a good play, and a necessary play because that ball had found its way behind Molly."
 
Daley had another crack in the 40th minute, but her shot sailed wide to the left.
 
Dumas was credited with four saves for the Lumberjacks (0-1-0).
 
The SPU women stay in Portland for another neutral-site encounter. They meet Dixie State on Saturday at 11 a.m.
 
The Falcons visit Chico State on Sept. 7 before hosting their home opener against Metro State on Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. in Interbay Stadium.
 
 
NCAA WOMEN'S SOCCER
Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016
Tuominen Yard/Portland, Ore.
 
Seattle Pacific 1, Humboldt State 0 (2ot)
 
                    1   2  OT  OT   --  TOTAL
Seattle Pacific     0   0   0   1   --   1
Humboldt State      0   0   0   0   --   0
 
Scoring – 1, SPU, Maddie Krauss, 109:00.
 
Shots – SPU 18, HSU 14.
Saves – SPU 5 (Molly Stinson 4, Team 1), HSU 4 (Alex Dumas).
Corner Kicks – SPU 9, HSU 4.
Fouls – SPU 21, HSU 12.
Offsides – SPU 1, HSU 1.
 
Records
Seattle Pacific 1-0-0
Humboldt State 0-1-0
 
Next SPU Women's Game
Seattle Pacific vs. Dixie State
Saturday, Sept. 3, 11:00 a.m.
Tuominen Yard / Portland, Ore.