SEATTLE – Seattle Pacific University shrugged off an early goal conceded on Saturday at Interbay Stadium, and outlasted the Montana State University Billings women's soccer team for a 3-1 Great Northwest Athletic Conference result.
Dalton Mermis, Lauren Snedeker, and Lauren Forster each found the net for the Falcons, who improved to 8-3-1 overall and 6-2 in GNAC play with the victory.
Jillian Hust scored MSUB's lone goal, while
Clare Keenan finished with eight saves in goal. The Yellowjackets slipped to 1-9-3 overall and are 1-6-1 in conference play with the defeat.
The Falcons nearly pulled ahead in the third minute, but an offside flag prevented what would have otherwise been the first goal of the match on a finish from close range.
A mistake by the Falcons put the Yellowjackets ahead in the fifth minute, when an attempted clearance by SPU goalkeeper Mercedes Cullen deflected off of Hust and wound up in the back of the net.
MSUB used the early momentum to keep the pressure on the Falcon back line, as the 'Jackets consistently threatened through the opening 15 minutes with four shots and two on target. The Yellowjackets came close to doubling their lead in the 25th minute, but the SPU back line was just able to step in front of a shot from
Jackie Sharpe that would have landed on frame.
Despite a first half that belonged largely to the 'Jackets, the Falcons managed to equalize five minutes before the break. After winning a corner kick, Snedeker tapped a loose ball inside the box into the back of the net off a cross by Ally Veenhuizen.
A corner kick seven minutes into the second half put the Falcons ahead, as Mermis got free near the far post and tucked a header inside the right goal post on a delivery from Callie Rheaume. The 'Jackets were fortunate not to concede again two minutes later, when shots from Lauren Forster and Sophie Beadle on successive possessions missed just off target.
That combination gave the Falcons a two-goal cushion with 20 minutes to go in the match, when Beadle fed a quick pass into the box for Forster to slot home with a low shot to the far post.
Keenan came through with three more saves in the closing minutes of the match to limit SPU to three goals, but the Yellowjackets failed to cut back into the deficit.
Hust led MSUB with three shots including two on target, and Sharpe also managed 2 of MSUB's 12 shot attempts in the match. Defensively,
Kailey Findlay and
Lauren Becraft played the full 90 minutes,
Vendela Andersson played 87 minutes, and
Taylor Gertsch played the full 90 minutes in the midfield for MSUB.
Beadle led SPU with five shots and three on frame, and the Falcons owned a 17-12 advantage in shots in the match. Cullen finished with three saves to earn the victory between the posts.
THE BUZZ: Hust was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…Hust's goal was her second of the season and of her career…MSUB is now 4-25-3 all-time against SPU and is 1-13-2 in road matches against the Falcons.
NEXT WEEK: MSUB returns to Yellowjacket Field to face Simon Fraser next Thursday at noon and No. 14 Western Washington next Saturday at noon. Live coverage for the home matches will be
available online here.
