SEATTLE – The Seattle Pacific University women's soccer team played its semifinal match of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Tournament against Simon Fraser on their home field at Interbay Soccer Stadium on Thursday night. The Falcons controlled the game and had opportunities to score, but timely goals lifted the Red Leafs past the Falcons, 2-0.
Thursday's match between the Falcons and the Red Leafs figured to be tightly contested. The two teams tied for second place in the GNAC standings. SPU owned the tiebreaker after the team's thrilling 3-2 victory over SFU on Oct. 17.
The Red Leafs broke a scoreless tie in the 21st minute when Kiera Scott scored off an assist from Alysa Clark. It was a six-yard header into the top left corner for Scott. The goal put the Falcons down 1-0. Scott scored another goal in the 77th minute that was once again assisted by Clark. The Red Leafs' 2-0 lead with 13 minutes left in the match was too much for the Falcons to overcome.
"Credit to Simon Fraser," head coach Arby Busey said. "They were very good in decisive moments tonight, and sometimes that's how the games are decided. I thought our group was fantastic and dangerous and threatening most of the night, it is as well as we've played that team in the three matchups, that we've played now. We had the upper hand most of the night. Unfortunately, that doesn't, that doesn't get you a result. Goals get you a result. And like we mentioned in those in those decisive moments, they capitalized, and they were good.
The Falcons found ways to attack and control the match throughout Thursday's contest. Lauren Snedeker, Kathryn Nyone, and Landrey McCann all sent shots on goal. Taylor Krueger and Maya Parman had close chances as well. The Falcons finished the match with 14 shots to eight from the Red Leafs.
SPU finishes the 2024 season with a 9-3-7 record and a second-place regular season finish in the conference. The Falcons had 15 GNAC All-Academic award winners. Taylor Krueger highlighted seven players selected to the ALL-GNAC team after being named the Co-Player of the Year. More awards for the Falcons will be announced in the coming weeks.
"This is an amazing, amazing group of women," Busey said. "They came out and enjoyed each other every day, poured into each other every day, and at the end of these seasons, that's the part that you miss, is the camaraderie and the opportunity to share space and that sort of thing. And they'll still be able to get together and see each other in class and those kinds of things. It's enjoyable to wear the same shirt and represent some things compete together and go through the emotional roller coaster that is an entire season together. And you miss those moments, the highs and the lows, and sharing both of those things. This was a special group. They could really do some things on the soccer field. I thought that the effort and how we play tonight was evidence of evidence of how quality The group that we had was all year. And unfortunately, just, just came up short tonight."
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