Box Score    |    Final Stats

SEATTLE – When Hannah Huesers goes, her Seattle Pacific teammates usually follow. She set the tone early on Saturday afternoon.
 
Huesers scored in the fifth minute and assisted on the final goal for Seattle Pacific during a 3-0 road victory over Northwest Nazarene in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's soccer opener for both teams at Finkbeiner Park.
 
The Falcons (4-1-1) dominated the shot count 17-7, including an 8-2 second-half advantage.
 
"That's a great way to open up conference play. We have a bounce in our step and played really, really well," said second-year SPU head coach Arby Busey.
 
Huesers found the back of the NNU net just 4-minutes, 14-seconds into the contest. She received a quick touch pass from Megan Moore at the right side of the box and delivered a 10-yard shot into the lower left of the goal.
 
"Hannah put herself in a really good spot and was composed in front of goal," Busey said. "She put it by the goalkeeper and we're up 1-0 within five minutes, which is great for us. That gave us a ton of confidence."
 
That was the team-leading third goal of the season for Huesers (Lake Stevens HS), who was the 2015 GNAC Player of the Year. She led the league in scoring in both 2015 (14 goals) and 2014 (15).
 
The senior forward claimed sole possession of the No. 4 spot among all-time Falcons with her 12th career game-winning goal. She was previously tied with Janae Godoy (2006-09) on a list that is topped by the 21 game-winners of Sarah Martinez (2004-07).
 
Huesers also ranks fourth among the school's career scoring leaders with 38 goals, 11 shy of the standard of 49 established by Martinez.
 
The success of their high-scoring striker often dictates the result for her team. Last year the Falcons compiled an 8-1-1 record in games when Huesers scored a goal. They boast a perfect ledger in the three games this season when she has a goal.
 
"Hannah knows that she's somebody that the rest of us kind of fall in line behind and are counting on to have an impact," said Busey. "She decided she was going to do that today and she did it nice and early for us.
 
"She's just got so many tools and so much ability. It's very difficult for opponents to deal with her."

 

Saturday's 1-0 scoreline held for the next 71 minutes, until SPU sophomore Sydnee Smith netted her inaugural collegiate goal on her first ever shot. Simone Herzberg made a brilliant 20-yard run with the ball down the center of the field before slipping a low pass toward the left side of the box. Smith (Vancouver, Wash./Skyview HS) finished that service high into the left side of the Crusaders goal at 75:31.
 
Herzberg (Portland, Ore.) has distributed an assist in each of the last three outings.
 
"She's been a spark for us coming off the bench," Busey said. "Simone wreaks havoc on opponents with her energy. This past week she has really taken to that role and added a ton of value when she's come into games."
 
SPU struck again just 1:07 later when sophomore Kasey Reeve scored for the second time in as many games. Huesers dribbled along the end line before pushing the ball into the center where Reeve stretched to poke it in at 76:38.
 
"Kasey does a good job of being active and busy inside the box," Busey described. "She put herself in a good spot, Hannah finds her and it's a goal again. It's good to have Kasey putting it in the net. It gives us another option up front that people are going to have to look out for."
 
Reeve (Fountain Valley, Calif.) scored her first collegiate goal in Monday's 3-2 home win over Cal State East Bay.
 
Junior Molly Stinson (Woodinville HS) registered three saves in 84 minutes for SPU before giving way to reserve goalkeeper Abby Smith (Sumner HS) for the final 5:49.
 
Daniele Ortiz stopped four shots for the Crusaders (2-4-0).
 
The Falcons host their GNAC home opener on Thursday against Saint Martin's. Kick-off is 7:30 p.m. at Interbay Stadium.
 
"We talked after the game about building momentum and trying to keep hold of where we're at," Busey said. "It was a very positive result and came about in a very positive way.
 
"We've got to try to capture some of this and roll with it because we know we're going to have our hands full with both Saint Martin's and Central Washington coming in Thursday and Saturday."

 
NCAA WOMEN'S SOCCER
Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016
Finkbeiner Park / Nampa, Idaho
 
Seattle Pacific 3, at Northwest Nazarene 0
 
                      1   2  --  TOTAL
Seattle Pacific       1   2  --    3
Northwest Nazarene    0   0  --    0
 
Scoring – 1, SPU, Hannah Huesers (Megan Moore), 4:14; 2, SPU, Sydnee Smith (Simone Herzberg), 75:31; 3, SPU, Kasey Reeve (Huesers), 76:38.
 
Shots – SPU 17, NNU 7.
Saves – SPU 3 (Molly Stinson), NNU 4 (Daniele Ortiz).
Corner Kicks – SPU 7, NNU 2.
Fouls – SPU 6, NNU 8.
Offsides – SPU 3, NNU 0.
 
Records
Seattle Pacific 4-1-1, 1-0-0 GNAC
Northwest Nazarene 2-4-0, 0-1-0 GNAC
 
Next SPU Women's Game
Saint Martin's at Seattle Pacific
Thursday, Sept. 22, 7:30 p.m.
Interbay Stadium / Seattle, Wash