THIS WEEK'S WOMEN'S SOCCER SCHEDULE
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4
Central Washington at (#4) Seattle Pacific
4:30 p.m. PDT, Interbay Stadium, Seattle, Wash.
       • Webcast for both games:  https://www.youtube.com/user/SPUsports
       • LiveStats for both games:  https://spufalcons.comsidearmstats/wsoc/
       • Buy Tickets in Advance:  https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/spufalcons/6750
 
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6
(#4) Seattle Pacific at Northwest Nazarene
1:00 p.m. PDT (2:00 MT), NNU Soccer Field, Nampa, Idaho
       • Webcast:  https://youtu.be/1Wp671qqgaM
       • LiveStats:  https://nnusports.com/sidearmstats/wsoc/summary
 
Fourth-ranked Seattle Pacific seeks to secure the Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's soccer title when it hosts the final scheduled home game before concluding the regular season on the road. The first-place Falcons (13-1-1, 10-1-1 GNAC) entertain Central Washington on Thursday, Nov. 4 with a 4:30 p.m. matchup at Interbay Stadium. The Wildcats (4-12-0, 3-9-0) lost the last six meetings with SPU. On Saturday, Nov. 6 the Falcons visit Nampa, Idaho for a 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time (2 p.m. Mountain) clash with Northwest Nazarene. SPU won the last four encounters to increase their series lead to 34-3-0 over the Nighthawks (9-3-3, 7-3-2). The GNAC Tournament will be conducted next week, Nov. 11 and 13, at WWU's Harrington Field in Bellingham. The NCAA Division II Tournament that was cancelled last year will be contested this fall, beginning Nov. 18.
 
 

GNAC Title Hunt
The Falcons were picked to finish atop the GNAC standings by the preseason coaches poll. They can validate that regular-season championship projection with a win in either of the final two games this week or a Western Washington loss. Seattle Pacific is four points ahead (31-27) of the Vikings in the current standings in pursuit of its first conference championship since 2011. The Falcons won eight of the 19 regular-season titles since the GNAC began in 2001. They were GNAC Tournament titlists in 2013 and 2014. SPU has already secured a spot in the GNAC Tournament, scheduled for Nov. 11 & 13 at Western Washington's Harrington Field in Bellingham. GNAC Tournament ticket are available now for advance purchase online at www.GNACtickets.com
 
Interbay Stadium Entry Policy
Fans are welcome to attend games in person at Interbay Stadium. In compliance with King County guidelines, spectators 12-years-of-age and older attending SPU athletic events will need to provide proof of full vaccination or present a negative COVID-19 test. Before purchasing or picking up tickets at venue Will Call windows, attendees will be required to show evidence of vaccination. Acceptable forms of proof include a CDC-issued Vaccination Record Card, a photo of the card, the Washington state myIRmobile.com app or a document from a health care provider. Those who cannot provide proof of vaccination may instead present documentation of a negative FDA-approved COVID-19 test administered by a professional and dated within 72 hours of the event. For additional details, please click on the SPU ATHLETICS ENTRY POLICY webpage. Mask wearing is mandatory at all times and spectators are encouraged to social distance when possible. Save the wait in line and obtain your SPU soccer tickets in advance by purchasing them online the SPU TICKETS webpage.
 
Falcons Fast Facts
• Unbeaten for the last 9 games, SPU has not gone 10 games undefeated in a season since 2011 (10-0-0)
 
• The Falcons No. 4 national ranking is their loftiest poll position since being No. 4 on October 19, 2009
 
• Riley Travis ranks 4th among D-II GKs in goals against average (0.24) & 2nd in save percentage (91.4%)
 
• SPU is outscoring opponents 45-4 and ranks No. 2 nationally in shutout percentage (73.3%)
 
• The Falcons have conceded just 21 corner kicks (1.4 per game) while earning 98 themselves (6.5)
 
• SPU erupted for 7 goals at CWU (Oct. 14), its highest single-game scoring output since Oct. 17, 2009
 
Explosive Offense
SPU is outscoring opponents by a lopsided 45-4 margin. The Falcons top the GNAC in goals (45), goal average (3.0 per game), assists (41) and points (131). They boast six multi-goal games by four individuals, with braces from Lauren Forster (Sept. 23 & Oct. 14), Makena Rietz (Oct. 2 & 23), Sophie Beadle (Oct. 28) and AJ DePinto (Sept. 25). Rietz and Forster sit atop the GNAC leaderboard with eight goals apiece. Sophia Chilczuk (11) and Claire Neder (7) rank one-two as GNAC assist leaders.
 
 

Super Sophia
Senior forward Sophia Chilczuk ranks second among NCAA Division II players with 0.79 assists per game. Her 11 assists are the highest season total by a Falcon since 2011 and nobody has had more since 2008 (Jocelyn Charette, 15). Chilczuk tied the school single-game record with three assists at Simon Fraser (Oct. 23), a feat achieved five times by former Falcons. She ranks second among all-time SPU players in career assists (28), and is fifth in both goals (34) and total points (96).
 
Playoff Pursuit
Seattle Pacific seeks to return to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the first time since 2018. They did not receive a berth in 2019 and no playoffs were conducted in 2020. The Falcons qualified for the playoffs every season from 2003-2016. They won the 2008 national championship and advanced to the Final Four three times (2005, 2007, 2008). Currently tops in the region, SPU last earned the West Region No. 1 seed in 2010.
 
This Week's Opponents
Central Washington (4-12-0, 3-9-0 GNAC) -- The Wildcats won two of their last four GNAC games after starting 1-7-0. Assistant Emmy Koflanovich has been overseeing the CWU program since 22nd-year coach Michael Farrand resigned Sept. 14, three games into this season. Sydney Lowe tops the team with four goals. A trio of goalkeepers combined for a 3.32 goals against average. The Falcons won the last six meetings to gain a 29-7-4 lead in the all-time series. SPU won this season's first matchup 7-0 on Oct. 14 in Seattle, its highest scoring output since 2009. Lauren Forster netted two goals for the Falcons, Kaitlynn Knocke and Delaine Polly combined for the shutout.
 
Northwest Nazarene (9-3-3, 7-3-2) -- The third-place Nighthawks are unbeaten in their last eight outings, going 6-0-2 while surrendering only three goals in that span. Madison Grande leads NNU with seven goals. Goalkeeper Alexis Montoya compiled seven shutouts and a 0.75 goals against average. NNU allowed 14 goals to all opponents and six of those were yielded in a 6-0 loss at SPU on Sept. 25. AJ DePinto scored twice in that game for the Falcons, who won the last four meetings and own a commanding 34-3-0 advantage in the all-time series.
 
 

Coach Busey
Arby Busey is in his 16th year on the Seattle Pacific staff and his seventh as head coach. In the abbreviated 2020-21 season, he directed the Falcons to an 8-0-1 record and No. 5 final ranking. Busey has a 70-32-10 record at SPU, a mark that doesn't include 10 wins from 2015 that were vacated due to the use of an ineligible player. SPU advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs in Busey's first two seasons at the helm and again in 2018. 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.

2020-21 Recap
Coach Arby Busey returns all 11 starters from last season's squad that outscored opponents 39-7. The Falcons forged an 8-0-1 record in the shortened 2020-21 campaign and were ranked No. 5 in the final national poll. Sophia Chilczuk led all NCAA Division II players in assist average (1.0 per game) and was fourth in goals (1.25) The team ranked No. 2 in goals per game (4.33).