SEATTLE – Solidifying its sixth straight berth into the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships, the Seattle Pacific University women's soccer team collected a 3-0 win over visiting Montana State University Billings on a soggy Saturday at Interbay Stadium.
 
The Falcons' Makayla Sonstelie scored in the first half and Simone Herzberg found the net twice in the second, as SPU improved to 9-6 overall and 7-4 in league play and guaranteed itself a spot in the top-four in the GNAC table.
 
The Yellowjackets dropped to 3-11-2 overall, and are now 2-7-2 in conference play with the loss. "It was a tepid start to the match for us, and we went down 1-0 before we started to come into the game," said MSUB head coach Stephen Cavallo. "I felt that we had a strong end to the first half with some quality possession. Unfortunately, we did not create the scoring chance we needed, and in the second half we spent a lot of time defending."
 
SPU goalkeeper Molly Stinson collected her second shutout of the year, making three saves on the afternoon. The Falcons were dominant on the offensive end, out-shooting the 'Jackets 16-5 and placing half of their attempts on target.
 
MSUB goalkeeper Erinn Harder was tested in the opening five minutes, making a diving stop on an attempt by Claire Neder from the top of the box.
 
A defensive giveaway by the 'Jackets led to the first goal of the match, as SPU gained possession deep in the attacking third. Sonstelie patiently held the ball at the top of the box, before curling an unreachable left-footed shot into the upper-left corner of the net in the 10th minute.
 
Courteney Shovlin delivered a strong cross into the box towards the far post midway through the first half, and it took a solid defensive effort by the Falcons to prevent a shot from close range. Madison Ibale worked her way into good position and won the header, before the ball was cleared out of the box as the Falcons avoided danger. It wound up being the best scoring chance of the afternoon for the 'Jackets.
 
Harder came through with a spectacular stop in the 34th minute, reacting to knock a shot by Brooke Lancaster from point-blank range wide of the post. The Falcons couldn't capitalize on the ensuing corner kick, as MSUB handled the pressure defensively.
 
Kaytlin Willis came inches away from doubling SPU's tally with three minutes to go in the first, but her right-footed shot from 20 yards away after a long run through the midfield missed just high over the bar.  

Kasey Reeve had the first dangerous attempt of the second half, firing a shot from close range just wide of the far post in the 56th minute. Two minutes later, Harder denied Reeve with another incredible save as she laid out to knock away another close

attempt towards goal.
 
SPU looked dangerous offensively throughout the second half, and doubled its lead with 20 minutes left to play. Herzberg netted her third goal of the year into an open net, after Harder once again had to come off her line to knock away a dangerous cross by Lancaster along the six-yard box.
 
The senior put the game out of reach with five minutes left, beating her defender into the box and finishing a simple shot on the ground past Harder to make the score 3-0. Herzberg had a clean look at a third goal with two minutes left, but rolled an open shot from 12 yards out wide of the post as she just missed the hat trick.
 
Defensively, Amanda Hemmen played a full 90 minutes for the 'Jackets, while Kalin Sandow won multiple important challenges in 79 minutes on the pitch. "Hats off to Erinn for making a pair of world class saves to do her part to keep the game in the balance," Cavallo commented on the freshman. "With one more week of training and one game to go, we will look to get back to Billings, regroup, and put together a strong final performance against Central."
 
THE BUZZ: Sandow was picked as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…MSUB is now 4-19-2 all-time against SPU and is 1-10-2 in road games against the Falcons…the Falcons clinched a spot in the 2017 GNAC Championships with the win…Saturday marked the eighth time this season MSUB was shut out in a match.
 
NEXT UP: The regular season concludes next Saturday, as the Yellowjackets hit the road for their final game of the year. Kickoff against Central Washington University is scheduled for noon Mountain time in Ellensburg, Wash., and live video and live statistics will be available online through MSUB's Stretch Internet portal here.