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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19 –
(#2) Western Washington at Seattle Pacific
7:00.m. PDT, Interbay Stadium, Seattle, Wash.
 
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21 –
Montana State Billings at Seattle Pacific
2:00.m. PDT, Interbay Stadium, Seattle, Wash.
 
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26 –
Western Oregon at Seattle Pacific
7:00.m. PDT, Interbay Stadium, Seattle, Wash.
 
• Webcast for all 3 games:  http://portal.stretchinternet.com/spu/
• LiveStats for all 3 games:  http://www.sidearmstats.com/spu/msoc/
 
A three-game homestand to close out the soccer regular season starts in challenging fashion for the Seattle Pacific women this week, beginning with a clash against defending national champion Western Washington. The third-place Falcons (8-5-0, 6-3-0 GNAC) are home at Interbay Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 19 for a 7 p.m. Pacific Time matchup with undefeated and second-ranked WWU (12-0-0, 8-0-0). The Vikings have not lost to SPU since a 1-0 decision on Oct. 27, 2012 in Bellingham, posting a 10-0-3 series record since then. On Saturday, Oct. 21 at 2 p.m. the Falcons host Montana State Billings (2-10-2, 1-6-2). SPU owns an 18-4-2 series lead over the Yellowjackets. The regular season concludes at home on Thursday, Oct. 26 against Western Oregon (2-8-2, 1-5-2). The Falcons are unbeaten in their last 28 meetings with WOU, compiling a 27-0-1 record during that span. SPU needs to pick up three points to solidify a spot in the four-team GNAC Tournament.
 
Home Sweet Home
The Falcons are undefeated in four home games this season. They have outscored opponents 11-5 at Interbay Stadium.
 
Ticket Talk
Tickets for SPU soccer games can be purchased on game day at Interbay Stadium (3027 17th Ave. W., Seattle 98119). Ticket windows open one hour prior to kickoff. All seats are general admission and priced at $7 for adults and $4 for students and senior citizens. SPU students and staff are admitted free. For group rates call (206) 281-2085.
 
Clash of the Titlists
Both Seattle Pacific and Western Washington have captured an NCAA Division II women's soccer national championship. The Falcons claimed the 2008 crown, defeating West Florida 1-0 on a golden goal by Janae Godoy. Western won the 2016 title with a 3-2 victory over three-time defending champion, Grand Valley State.
 
Senior Shot Stopper
Senior goalkeeper Molly Stinson amassed a school-record total of 106 saves in 2016. On Oct. 29, 2016 she stopped 13 shots to establish a new SPU single-game record. The previous mark of 12 was set by Jennifer Hull in 2001. Stinson should soon add the school's career record to her game and season marks. Her current career total stands at 269, just two saves shy of Hull's (2001-04) SPU record of 271. Stinson had started 57 of her 60 games in goal for the Falcons, producing a 36-16-7 record.
 
Throw-Ins
The Falcons amassed nine goals in two games last week after being blanked the previous two outings ... Eleven of 13 Falcons games have been decided by one-goal margins ... Five of this season's eight wins were of the come-from-behind variety.
 


Player of the Week
Kasey Reeve, who compiled four goals and an assist in a pair of SPU victories, was named the GNAC Offensive Player of the Week on Monday. The junior forward registered the 19th hat trick in SPU women's soccer history to fuel a 6-0 win at Saint Martin's (Oct. 14). Reeve netted the Falcons' first three goals, increasing her team-leading total to 10. In a 3-2 double-overtime home win over Central Washington (Oct. 12), Reeve tallied SPU's first goal and assisted Sophia Chilczuk on the second.
 
Brace Yourself
Four different Falcons have produced a two-goal game this season, two of them in the same contest. Both Julia DeVere and Simone Herzberg scored twice in a 4-1 home win over Saint Martin's (Sept. 21). Kasey Reeve had two goals in the season-opening 3-2 victory over Chico State (Aug. 31) and had a hat trick at Saint Martin's (Oct. 14). Sophia Chilczuk got a brace in 3-2 overtime win over Central Washington (Oct. 12).

 

Senior Salute
Immediately before the Oct. 26 game, a ceremony will be conducted to honor SPU's six seniors. Maddy Booster, Simone Herzberg, Brooke Holland, Brooke Pingrey, Maddie Sjothun and Molly Stinson will play their final home game at Interbay Stadium. That six-player class helped the Falcons compile a 45-20-9 record in their collegiate careers (20-4-6 at Interbay), win the 2014 GNAC Tournament and earn three NCAA playoff berths.
 
This Week's Opponents
Western Washington (12-0-0, 8-0-0 GNAC) -- The defending national champion Vikings are undefeated and ranked No. 2. They have a 36-game winning streak and blanked nine of their last 10 opponents. Western won the last five GNAC regular-season titles and hasn't lost to a league foe since Oct. 13, 2013, a span of 61 games (52-0-6 record). WWU is outscoring opponents 40-3, paced by the 10 goals of Gabriela Pelogi. Goalkeeper Ashley Homer has seven shutouts and a 0.18 goals against average. Travis Connell, a four-year SPU men's soccer letterman (1991-95), is in his 15th year and owns WWU's all-time mark with 214 coaching wins. The Falcons lead the all-time series 18-15-6 despite not beating Western since Oct. 27, 2012, covering a span of 14 games during which WWU went 11-0-3. The Vikings won this season's first meeting 1-0 on Oct. 5 in Bellingham on an 18th-minute goal by Pelogi.
 
Montana State Billings (2-10-2, 1-6-2 GNAC) -- The Yellowjackets are winless in their last three games (0-2-1) and have not scored a goal in that span. Alycia Wright (5) and Alexa Iacolucci (4) accounted for nine of the team's 13 goals. Saturday is the only meeting this season between MSUB and the Falcons, who own an 18-4-2 series lead and outscored the Yellowjackets 49-14 all-time.
 
Western Oregon (2-8-2, 1-5-2 GNAC) -- The Wolves are winless in the last three outings. Alyssa Tomasina and Meli Cortez top the team with two goals apiece. Caitlin Kastelic ranks third among GNAC goalkeepers with 5.33 saves per game. The Falcons own a 28-2-1 series lead and got a 2-1 overtime win on Sept. 30 in Monmouth on a 103rd-minute golden goal by Sophia Chilczuk.

 

Coach Busey
Arby Busey is in his 12th year on the Seattle Pacific staff and his third as head coach. In 2016, he directed the Falcons to an 11-5-4 record, third-place GNAC finish (7-2-3) and GNAC Tournament finals berth. SPU advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs for the 14th consecutive season. Busey has a 23-15-6 record at SPU, a ledger that doesn't include 10 wins from 2015 that were vacated due to the use of an ineligible player. He is the third coach in the 17-year history of the program, including 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 where he had an 8-40-7 record.
 
2016 Review
The Falcons fashioned an 11-5-4 overall record in 2016 and placed third in the GNAC with a 7-2-3 mark. They advanced to the GNAC Tournament championship game for the fourth straight season before losing 3-1 to eventual national champion Western Washington. SPU participated in the postseason for the 14th straight season, falling 2-1 in the first round to Central Washington. Graduated forward Hannah Huesers netted 13 goals to lead all GNAC scorers for the third straight season.