SEATTLE – Sophia Chilczuk helped set up the first Seattle Pacific goal, then scored two of her own, and Riley Travis picked up the shutout as Seattle Pacific opened its women's soccer season on Saturday with a 4-0 victory against Puget Sound at Interbay Stadium.
 
This was the first game for the Falcons (1-0-0) since Nov. 16, 2019, when the dropped a 2-1 decision to Western Washington in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Tournament championship game – a span of 497 days, as the fall 2020 season was canceled because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
 
"It was good to return to the field," exclaimed SPU coach Arby Busey. "The performance was a good one, all things considered. We've been away from the field, no practice, no games, for a couple weeks. So to come back off of a spring break and perform the way we did is a great place to start as we get into the meat of our season."
 
Senior forward Chilczuk got SPU started toward its first goal. From the attacking right side, she floated a cross toward the far side of the penalty area. Freshman forward Sophie Beadle was there. She one-touched it to junior midfielder Makena Rietz at the top left corner of the 6-yard box, and Rietz drilled it into the back right corner at the 9:32 mark.

MAKENA RIETZ GOAL

 "She's such a hard worker, does all the little things and just is a grinder on the field," Busey said of Rietz. "For her to show up at the back post and get a relatively simple tap-in is a testament to her work rate and discipline to be in the right place at the right time. She took advantage of the moment that was created there."
 
Chiczuk made it 2-0 at 18:27. Beadle, playing on the left wing, crossed it toward goal, and senior midfielder Claire Neder flicked to Chilczuk, playing just in front of the right post. Chilczuk headed it high into the net, well above the reach of Loggers goalkeeper Chaylea Tome.
 
Sophomore midfielder Chloe Gelhaus, who was named GNAC Freshman of the Year in 2019, expanded the lead to 3-0 just four minutes into the second half. Freshman forward Lauren Forster sent a cross in from the right wing side. Gelhaus, playing inside the 6 with her back to the goal, settled the ball at her feet, turned, and shot point-blank into the right side.
 
CHLOE GELLHAUS GOAL

Chilczuk and Beadle teamed up again to finish off the scoring. Beadle, on the left side, passed in to Chilczuk at the top left corner of the 6, and she shot it home at 66:53.
 
The Falcons scoring leader in each of the past two seasons, Chilczuk is well on her way to a third consecutive goals crown for the team.
 
"Sophia is going to be the focal point for us and our opponents' defenses. For her to get out there and, in the first game, get a couple goals is a great start for her," said Busey. "She is a lot to handle, both for us in practice and our opponents on game days.
 
"She's somebody that we're going to lean on to create opportunities for herself and her teammates and she did a great job today of doing both of those things."
 
Chilczuk increased her career totals to 22 goals and 10 assists.
 
Seattle Pacific, which is now 18-0-2 in home openers, dominated the run of play, building up a 29-3 advantage in shots. Aside from the four that went in, nine other Falcon shots were on target.
 
Junior goalkeeper Travis made saves on two of the Loggers' three shots to secure the clean sheet. 
 
Saturday's game was the first-ever regular-season meeting between the teams.
 
SPU returns to action on Thursday against Saint Martin's at Interbay, with kickoff at 6:00 p.m.

NCAA WOMEN'S SOCCER
Saturday, March 27, 2021
Interbay Stadium / Seattle, Wash.
 
at Seattle Pacific 4, Puget Sound 0
 
Scoring – 1, SPU, Makena Rietz (Sophie Beadle, Sophia Chilczuk), 9:32; 2, SPU, Chilczuk (Claire Neder, Beadle), 18:27; 3, SPU, Chloe Gellhaus (Lauren Forster), 49:01; 4, SPU, Chilczuk (Beadle), 66:53.
 
                       1   2  --  TOTAL
Puget Sound            0   0  --    0
Seattle Pacific        2   2  --    4
 
Shots – UPS 2, SPU 29.
Shots on Goal – UPS 2, SPU 13.
Saves – UPS 9 (Chaylea Tome), SPU 2 (Riley Travis).
Corner Kicks – UPS 1, SPU 7.
Fouls – UPS 1, SPU 6.
Offsides – UPS 1, SPU 0.
 
Records
Puget Sound 7-4-0
Seattle Pacific 1-0-0
 
Next SPU Men's Soccer Game
Saint Martin's at Seattle Pacific
Thursday, April 1, 6:00 p.m. PDT
Interbay Stadium / Seattle, Wash.