CHICO, Calif. – Sophia Chilczuk set up the tying goal and then scored the game-winner with just over five minutes left in regulation Saturday night, capping Seattle Pacific's comeback for a 2-1 season-opening women's soccer triumph over Chico State at University Soccer Stadium.
 
The Falcons (1-0) rallied with two scores inside the final 26 minutes to overcome a one-goal halftime deficit. Chloe Gellhaus evened the score, 1-1, in the 65th minute on a goal initiated by Chilczuk.
 
A senior forward, Chilczuk netted her 31st career goal, at 84:50, and it was her 12th game-winning strike.
 
"Sophia is a handful and is always somebody that we can count on in big moments," said Arby Busey, who started his seventh season as SPU's head coach.
 
"She certainly showed up tonight and was a game-changer for us. It was awesome to get her going in this first game and that will make her harder to deal with moving forward."
 
 

Seattle Pacific trailed 1-0 at halftime despite compiling a 12-7 advantage in the shots category. Each team sent two shots directly on target in the opening 45 minutes, but Chico's was the only one that found the back of the net.
 
Susanna Garcia's 37th-minute boot from the left side of the box was the lone early tally. She had an opportunity to score earlier, but her penalty kick in the 16th minute sailed wide to the right of the SPU goal.
 
The Falcons defense enabled the pair of unanswered goals by stifling Chico's offense after halftime. The hosts were limited to just two shots in the final period and neither of them were on frame.
 
"Chico has really good front players and they had a game plan of hitting us on the counter," Busey described. "Our backline, in those moments when balls were being played forward in the second half, did an amazing job of reading those things, stepping in and winning them and then re-starting play for us so that we could keep creating chances.
 
"It's the platform of those players in the back that we were able to build off of. Their sturdiness allows us to commit more numbers forward and take a little bit more chances. We certainly were able to do that in the second half."
 
SPU compiled a 10-2 shot advantage after intermission and prohibited the Wildcats from putting any shots on target.
 
Senior goalkeeper Riley Travis needed just one save to pick up the win for the visitors.
 
Emma Hofmann stopped five attempts for Chico, which was on the low end of a 22-9 shooting disparity.
 
The Wildcats (2-1) sustained their first setback after starting the season with two wins.
 
SCORING SUMMARY
1 – Susanna Garcia provided a 1-0 lead for Chico at 36:25 with a 15-yard shot from the left side of the box that traveled into the top left corner. Natalie Mendoza and Camille Lidster were credited with assists on the play.
 
2 – Chloe Gellhaus was opportunistic at 64:16, following up a shot by Sophia Chilczuk that was saved by the Chico goalkeeper. Gellhaus reached the rebound and netted the equalizer from the right side of the box into the center of the goal.
 
3 – The game-winning goal came off a scrum in the Wildcats box. Chilczuk gathered the ball and directed a 16-yard shot to the lower right corner at 84:50.
 
UPCOMING ACTION
The Seattle Pacific women resume their season-opening, three-game road trip on Thursday (Sept. 16) with a 3 p.m. contest at San Francisco State. They visit Stanislaus State next Saturday (Sept. 18) at 7 p.m.
 
The Falcons first home game is also their Great Northwest Athletic Conference opener, a Sept. 23 clash with Montana State Billings. Kick-off is 3 p.m. at Interbay Stadium.
 
THROW-INS
• The Falcons improved their all-time record to 16-3-2 in season-opening games.
 
• Six SPU players were on the field for all 90 minutes: Riley Travis, Madison Ibale, Chloe Gellhaus, Sophia Chilczuk, Makena Rietz and Mariah Alexander.
 
• Senior forward Claire Neder led all players with six shots and two of them were on goal.
 
• Chilczuk has tallied a goal in eight of her last nine games, scoring 11 times during that span.
 
NCAA WOMEN'S SOCCER
Saturday, September 11, 2021
University Soccer Stadium / Chico, Calif.
 
Seattle Pacific 2, at Chico State 1
 
Scoring – 1, Susanna Garcia (Natalie Mendoza, Camille Lidster), 36:25; 2, SPU, Chloe Gellhaus (Sophia Chilczuk) 64:16; 3, SPU, Sophia Chilczuk (unassisted), 84:50.
 
                       1   2  --  TOTAL
Seattle Pacific        0   2  --    2
Chico State            1   0  --    1
 
Shots – SPU 22, Chico 9.
Shots on Goal – SPU 7, Chico 2.
Saves – SPU 1 (Riley Travis), Chico 5 (Emma Hofmann).
Corner Kicks – SPU 8, Chico 2.
Fouls – SPU 15, Chico 6.
Offsides – SPU 3, Chico 0.
 
Records
Seattle Pacific 1-0-0
Chico State 2-1-0
 
Next SPU Women's Soccer Game
Seattle Pacific at San Francisco State
Thursday, September 16, 3:00 p.m.
Cox Stadium / San Francisco, Calif.