• Complete Release (pdf)   |   • VIDEO: Simone  Herzberg

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 –
Saint Martin's at Seattle Pacific
7:30 p.m. PDT, Interbay Stadium, Seattle, Wash.
 
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 –
Central Washington at Seattle Pacific
7:00 p.m. PDT, Interbay Stadium, Seattle, Wash.
 
• LiveStats for both games:  http://www.sidearmstats.com/spu/wsoc/
 
Two in-state rivals invade Interbay Stadium this week for Seattle Pacific's Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's soccer home openers. The Falcons (4-1-1, 1-0-0 GNAC) clash with Saint Martin's (1-4-1, 0-1-0) on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. They won all 18 previous meetings versus the Saints. That is this year's only encounter between SPU and SMU, who have met twice every season since the Saint joined the league in 2007. With the addition of a ninth team last year, the GNAC is not implementing a double round-robin schedule and the Falcons play four league foes just once (also Northwest Nazarene, Western Oregon and Western Washington). On Saturday, Sept. 24 Central Washington (5-1-0, 0-0-0) pays a visit to Seattle for a 7 p.m. contest. SPU owns a 22-5-3 series lead despite a 1-1 draw last year in Ellensburg in the only meeting.
 
Ticket Talk
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 Ticket Office in advance at:  206-281-2085.


 
Last Week
SPU closed out non-conference play with a 3-2 home win over Cal State East Bay (Sept. 12) secured by a 55th-minute Kaytlin Willis penalty kick. Maddie Krauss and Kasey Reeve also scored. The Falcons opened GNAC play with a 3-0 victory at Northwest Nazarene (Sept. 17) behind goals from Hannah Huesers, Sydnee Smith and Reeve.
 
Fantastic Forward
Senior Hannah Huesers leads the team with three goals. She was the 2015 GNAC and West Region Player of the Year and led the league in scoring in both 2015 (14 goals) and 2014 (15). The senior forward ranks No. 4 spot among all-time Falcons with 12 career game-winning goals, 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.
 
Throw-Ins
Sophomore Kasey Reeve netted her first collegiate goal on Sept. 12 and then tallied another on Sept. 17 ... Sophomore Sydney Smith scored her inaugural SPU goal on Sept. 17 ... Junior Simone Herzberg has an assist in each of the last three outings and is tied for the league lead in that category with that trio of setups.
 
Playoff Pursuit
Seattle Pacific seeks to return to the NCAA Tournament for the 14th straight year. The current run of 13 consecutive appearances is tied for the longest active playoff streak among Division II women's soccer teams. The Falcons won the 2008 national championship. Last season they reached the West Region semifinal.

 

2016 Preview
Seven starters return from the 2015 NCAA Tournament team, including players that accounted for 23 goals for SPU, which outscored opponents 35-17. Heading the list of returnees is senior forward Hannah Huesers, the 2015 GNAC and West Region Player of the Year. She netted 14 goals to claim the league scoring title for the second straight season. Senior midfielder Emma Holm was an honorable mention All-GNAC honoree in 2015. The defense is backed by junior goalkeeper Molly Stinson who was credited with seven of the team's nine shutouts while compiling an outstanding 0.81 goals against average. Adding to the talent base are six veterans that each drew at least one start last year, along with six incoming freshmen.
 
This Week's Opponents
Saint Martin's (1-4-1, 0-1-0 GNAC) -- The Saints defeated Hawaii Pacific 2-1 in their last outing to halt a five-game winless skid. Hannah Frakes, who netted the game-winner Sunday, is one of three SMU players to have scored a goal. Goalkeeper Ali Koehler has one shutout and a 2.19 goals against average. SPU won all 18 previous meetings with the Saints, but it took a miraculous finish to emerge victorious in last year's first encounter. The Saints scored in the 35th minute and held that lead until SPU's Hannah Huesers equalized with seven seconds left in regulation to force overtime. Laura Moore netted a golden goal 1:15 into the extra session to clinch the victory. The Falcons won the rematch 4-0 in Seattle behind two Maddie Krauss goals.
 
Central Washington (5-1-0, 0-0-0 GNAC) -- The Wildcats sustained their first setback on Friday, a 2-1 home decision against sixth-ranked UC San Diego. Keilin Farrand leads the CWU attack with two goals and two assists. Goalkeeper Amanda White compiled three shutouts and a 0.66 goals against average. The teams drew 1-1 in last year's only encounter, on Oct. 22 in Ellensburg. SPU leads the all-time series 22-5-3.
 
Coach Arby  Busey
Arby Busey is in his 11th year on the Seattle Pacific staff and his second as head coach. In 2015, he directed the Falcons to a 14-5-2 record, third-place GNAC finish (7-3-2) and GNAC Tournament finals berth. SPU advanced to the West Regional semifinals of the NCAA Division II playoffs. Busey has an 18-6-3 record as the third coach in the 16-year history of the program. That list includes the two-year stint of inaugural coach Bobby Bruch, who posted a 21-14-3 mark from 2001-02, and the 12-year run of Chuck Sekyra who was 209-34-20 from 2003-2014. From his assistant post from 2006-14, 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. He is a 1993 graduate of Villanova and was the Idaho head coach from 2002-04.
 
2015 Review
The Falcons fashioned a 14-5-2 overall record in 2015 and finished third in the conference standings with a 7-3-2 mark. They advanced to the GNAC Tournament championship game for the third straight season before losing 3-1 to Western Washington. The SPU women participated in the postseason for the 13th straight season. They defeated UC San Diego 2-1 in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament before falling 1-0 at WWU. A trio of graduated seniors were All-West Region honorees, Laura Moore, Shayla Page and Isabel Farrell, the 2014 GNAC Player of the Year. Junior forward Hannah Huesers led the league with 14 goals en route to 2015 GNAC Player of the Year acclaim.