SEATTLE – The Seattle Pacific University women's soccer team takes their first Great Northwest Athletic Conference tests this weekend, traveling to Northwest Nazarene on Thursday for a match at 6 p.m. PST. Saturday, the Falcons cross the mountains for a contest against Central Washington at 7 p.m.
QUOTABLE
"Conference games always present great challenges, and when you get the opportunity to play on the road in conference those challenges are escalated. We have played a difficult nonconference schedule with some tough opponents on the road to prepare ourselves for weeks like this one. I like how we have been playing, we are finding our identity and continuing to grow confident in who we are and what we are capable of together! We'll need a couple more very strong performances this week to achieve results." – head coach Arby Busey.
LAST TIME OUT
The Falcons opened GNAC play at home last weekend, hosting Montana State University Billings and Western Washington.
The Falcons had a historic offensive outburst against the Yellowjackets when six different players contributed to a 7-0 victory. Moira MacKay, Lauren Forster, Jacqueline Blakeley, Kayla Wallace, Taylor Krueger, and Kathryn Nyone each scored a goal for the Falcons. The final goal of the match was ruled an own goal.
Last Thursday's 7-0 victory for SPU marked the 14th time in GNAC history a team has had six unique goal scorers. It's the fifth time since SPU has been a GNAC member that it has had six unique goal scorers.
Since SPU joined the GNAC it had six unique goal scorers on five occasions, with the last being a 7-0 win over CWU on Oct. 14, 2021, in Ellensburg, Wash. Since the inception of the GNAC in 2001, a team has had six or more unique goal scorers in 20 different games.
Mercedes Cullen made the start in goal for the Falcons. She earned her first shutout of the season. Cullen needed to make three saves to keep the 'Jackets off the board for the full 90 minutes.
The Falcons and Vikings met on Saturday and played a hard-fought, tightly-contested match that ended in a 1-1 draw.
Like she's been so many times before, Sophie Beadle was the catalyst that sparked the SPU offense. Beadle broke up a possession for the Vikings and went toward the goal. She drew another defender in and dished the ball to Blakeley. Blakeley scored her second goal this weekend, putting the Falcons up 1-0 in the 50th minute.
Blakeley has tied her goal total from the 2022 season in half as many games. She leads the Falcons with four goals and nine points in 2023.
Cullen was in goal for the Falcons. She played a solid 90 minutes. Cullen faced 15 shots, six on goal, and made five saves during the match.
ABOUT THE NIGHTHAWKS
Northwest Nazarene entered 2023 with seven returning players from its starting 11. Madison Grande led the Nighthawks to a 9-2-3 conference record (12-4-4 overall) with 11 goals in 2022. Grande's 22 points ranked second in the GNAC while her 1.10 points per game average led the conference. Her offensive prowess earned her First Team All-GNAC and Second Team United Soccer Coaches All-West Region Honors.
Kate Bleffert and Makayla Roggow are leaned on defensively for the Nighthawks. Bleffert logged 1,684 minutes while starting all 20 games for the Nighthawks en route to earning Second Team All-GNAC honors. Roggow put in over 1,700 minutes last season, also starting every match. She added offensive upside as well with a goal and an assist.
The Nighthawks have started 2023 fantastically, touting a 4-0-2 record. Most recently, NNU hit the road to take down Central Washington 2-0 and Western Oregon 3-2. The Nighthawks are averaging 1.33 goals per game, and have kept opponents to just .50 goals per game.
ABOUT THE WILDCATS
Central Washington was selected for a sixth-place finish in the GNAC preseason coaches poll. Head coach Lindsey Lee is in her second season with the team. The Wildcats ranked sixth in the GNAC last season with 17 goals and 0.94 goals per game.
Emily Darcy is one of nine starters to return after leading the team in scoring with 18 points in 2022. Her one-point-per-game average was tied for second while she stood alone ranked second in the GNAC with 0.44 goals per game.
Goalkeeper Kassandra Jaggard also returns for CWU after playing 17 games and amassing a 3-8-4 record last season. Jaggard owned 1.86 goals against average through 1,259 minutes while posting three shutouts. Her 77 saves ranked second in the GNAC.
It's been a slow start to the 2023 season for the Wildcats. They've gone 1-6 over their first seven matches. Most recently, the Wildcats played Saint Martin's and fell 1-0. Opponents have been able to score against the Wildcats, averaging 1.80 goals per game.
