ARCATA, Calif. – The Seattle Pacific University women's soccer team flexed their offensive muscle in the 2024 season-opener against Sonoma State on Thursday, as five Falcons powered SPU to a 5-2 victory over the Seawolves.
SPU opened in 2024 with an explosion of offense in Northern California. Taylor Krueger, Moira MacKay, Kayla Wallace, Maya Parman, and Lauren Snedeker each scored for the Falcons on the way to a 5-2 win over Sonoma State. Thursday's five-goal eruption is the most the Falcons have scored in a season-opener since Aug. 27, 2005, when the SPU took down Chico State 5-1 at home. Similarly, five different Falcons scored in that match.
"Fun day today," head coach Arby Busey said. "Great way to get started. Created some good chances, and we were great around the goal. Neat to see so many players get goals. We wanted to be aggressive, and many girls took advantage of their opportunities."
2023 GNAC Newcomer of the Year Taylor Krueger netted her first goal of 2024 in the 7th minute. Krueger beat her defender on one before her precise strike put SPU up 1-0. However, Sonoma State quickly responded, leveling the score to 1-1.
Krueger remained instrumental in SPU's attack. In the 30th minute, she assisted Miora MacKay, who made no mistake in finishing the play that put the Falcons on top 2-1. It was the fifth goal of MacKay's career at SPU.
As the first half drew close, Kayla Wallace added to SPU's advantage with a powerful shot in the 41st minute. Wallace's goal gave the Falcons a comfortable 3-1 lead heading into halftime.
SPU continued their offensive onslaught in the second half when Maya Parman scored her first career goal for the Falcons. In the 55th minute, Ashlyn Valdovinos sent a beautiful ball across the box that found the foot of Parman. She pushed the ball past the keeper to put the Falcons up 4-1.
After the Seawolves scored on a penalty kick in the 77th minute, SPU earned a penalty kick of their own 10 minutes later. Lauren Snedeker stepped up to take it and scored the fifth goal of the match for SPU. The goal was also the fifth of Snedeker's career.
SPU scored five goals in a match for the first time since Oct. 17, 2022, when the team beat Simon Fraser 6-2. Recent program graduate Jacqueline Blakeley led the Falcons with two goals in that match.
"We must rest up to prepare for Humboldt on Saturday," Busey added.
The Falcons are back on Saturday when they face host Humboldt State at 11:00 a.m.
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