• FINAL STATS   |   • VIDEO: MOLLY  STINSON

SEATTLE – Molly Stinson has been busy back-stopping the Seattle Pacific defense for four years. She's got the records to show for it.
 
Simone Herzberg netted two second-half goals Saturday and Stinson broke the school record for career saves, leading Seattle Pacific to a 3-0 women's soccer victory over Montana State Billings in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference game at Interbay Stadium.
 
The Falcons (9-6-0) improved to 7-4-0 in league play and secured a spot in the GNAC Tournament. The four-team conference championship semifinals take place on Nov. 2 in Portland, Ore. and the title game is Nov. 4.
 
Stinson snagged a header by MSUB's Sameu Ajundi in the 26th minute to become the school's all-time saves leader. The senior shot-stopper moved past Jennifer Hull, who compiled 271 saves for the Falcons from 2001-04.
 
With three saves Saturday, Stinson increased her record total to 273. She now owns every SPU save record, including the season mark of 106 established in 2016 and the single-game standard of 13 set on Oct. 29, 2016.
 
"There is not someone who bleeds more SPU colors, she's a true Falcon," exclaimed Coach Arby Busey. "For Molly to have her name forever etched in history here is pretty special. I can't think of a more deserving person for that honor.
 
"Molly works really hard and has obviously done a lot of work for us back there, more work than anyone who's ever been in that position. She's an amazing young lady and we couldn't be happier and prouder for her and what she's accomplished."


 
All three saves for Stinson came before halftime. She grabbed as shot from outside the box by Jessica Spang in the 20th minute for her first save. After the record-breaking save six minutes later, Stinson collected an attempt by Courteney Shovlin in the 33rd minute.
 
SPU junior Makayla Sonstelie opened the scoring 9:34 into the contest with her first collegiate goal. She dribbled through Billings defenders into the right side of the box before unleashing a left-footed strike to the upper left corner.
 
"Makayla really dedicated herself through the spring and summer and has come in this fall and been amazing. It's great for her to get a goal and get that reward for all the work she's put in," Busey said.
 
"It was a fantastic goal today and something that we needed. We talked about trying to establish ourselves early in this game and put ourselves on the front foot. Makayla did that with an amazing finish."
 
Herzberg

tacked on two tallies to secure the win. She collected a deflection off the goalkeeper and punched it in at 69:32. At 85:01 Herzberg received a pass from Mason Minder and dribbled down the left flank, beating the goalkeeper before finishing with her fourth score of the season.
 
It was no coincidence that two of his most skillful ball handlers did the damage in Saturday's rainy conditions, according to Busey.
 
"It may have been a dribbler's day where they could get on the end of something, take off on a run and finish. Simone is very similar to Mack in regards to their skillset. She's another one who can dribble and dance on the ball a little bit. She's very clever and uses a lot of guile in the way she approaches the game."
 
Herzberg nearly completed the hat trick with 2:33 remaining. The senior midfielder stole a pass, beat both a defender and the goalkeeper on the dribble, but her shot carried inches wide of the left post.
 
"Simone found herself in some very good spots today to finish," Busey said. "We were all pulling for her to get the third. She did a great job to put herself in positon to have a hat trick on the day and apparently it just wasn't meant to be."
 
SPU's season scoring leader Kasey Reeve didn't find the goal Saturday, but not for lack of trying. She nearly added to her 10-goal total with a flurry of shots early in the second half.
 
Reeve had three consecutive attempts in a five-minute span. She fired a shot across the goalmouth in the 56th minute that went wide left, and one minute later a first-timer near the left post was deflected away by goalkeeper Erinn Harder. In the 61st minute Reeve broke into the box and collided with Harder, who caused the low shot trickle wide of the left post.
 
Harder was credited with five saves for the Yellowjackets, who were outshot by a 16-5 margin. Billings (3-11-2) had its GNAC record drop to 2-7-2.
 
The SPU women close out their regular-season schedule at home on Thursday against Western Oregon. Kick-off is 7 p.m. at Interbay Stadium. A brief ceremony will be conducted prior to the game to honor the Falcons senior class.
 
"It's a special group of women that have contributed a ton," Busey said of his six seniors. "We're excited to be able to really honor them next week. We have a whole week to focus on just that one game, that one opportunity to really send them off regular-season wise with a heartfelt thank you in the attitude and effort with which we play."
 
 
NCAA WOMEN'S SOCCER
Saturday, Oct. 21, 2017
Interbay Stadium / Seattle, Wash
 
at Seattle Pacific 3, Montana State Billings 0
 
Scoring – 1, SPU Makayla Sonstelie, 9:34; 2, SPU, Simone Herzberg, 69:32; 3, SPU, Herzberg (Minder), 85:01.
 
                          1   2  --  TOTAL
Montana State Billings    0   0  --    0
Seattle Pacific           1   2  --    3
 
Shots – MSUB 5, SPU 16.
Shots on goal – MSUB 3, SPU 8.
Saves – MSUB 5 (Erinn Harder), SPU 3 (Molly Stinson).
Corner kicks – MSUB 1, SPU 7.
Fouls – MSUB 7, SPU 4.
Offsides – MSUB 1, SPU 0.
 
Records
Montana State Billings 3-11-2, 2-7-2 GNAC
Seattle Pacific 9-6-0, 7-4-0 GNAC
 
 
Next SPU Women's Soccer Game
Western Oregon at Seattle Pacific
Thursday, Oct. 26, 7:00 p.m. PDT
Interbay Stadium / Seattle, Wash.