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Oct. 3, 2009

Box Score

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Forward Lucy Miller (Sr., Pacific Palisades, CA) scored in the 82nd minute, lifting Western Washington University to a stunning 3-2 victory over nationally No.1-ranked and previously unbeaten Seattle Pacific University in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's soccer contest Saturday at Orca Field on the Whatcom Community College campus.

The Vikings improved to 6-2-2 overall and took over first place in the conference at 4-0-1. They are unbeaten in the last seven games, six of them victories.

Western has not lost in 21 consecutive GNAC contests, including three ties, a streak that began in 2007.

Seattle Pacific, the defending national champion and sitting atop the National Soccer Coaches Association of America/NCAA Division II Top 25 Poll, fell to 10-1-0 overall and 4-1-0 in the GNAC.

The Falcons, who entered the game having not allowed a goal this season, had a 21-game winning streak and a 27-game unbeaten streak snapped. Their last loss was 1-0 to Western on Sept. 20, 2008 at Bellingham.

"Seattle Pacific is a great team," said Western coach Travis Connell. "These are the kind of games our players love. They love big games against big teams and that's what makes us dangerous."

The Vikings had a 2-1 lead at halftime despite attacking into a stiff wind in the opening half, but Seattle Pacific tied the score in the 67th minute, as midfielder Kelsey Jenkins took a pass in the center of the field, dribbled 25 yards and fed a ball through to freshman Megan Lindsay, who held off a Western defender and finished low from 10 yards.

But Miller got the game winner with under nine minutes to play, taking a pass from Kelly Irving (Sr., Gig Harbor) and hitting a shot from 25 yards that went off the outstretched hands of goalkeeper Jessly Rahm Kellerman before settling in the right side of the net.

"I saw it come to me, it went right through the referee's legs," said Miller. "I was outside the box with no one in front of me, so I just hit it hard."

Western's Emily Frankland (Jr., Sammamish/Skyline) opened the scoring just under five minutes in. Irving played a ball into traffic near the right post, and Frankland got to the ball and knocked it in.

Amanda Johnson evened the score for the Falcons in the 11th minute, chesting down a ball 30 yards from goal and hitting an audacious lob into the right corner.

Western regained the lead in the 33rd minute. Frankland fed Bryn Gibson (Sr., Bellevue/Interlake) down the left side, and Gibson hit a cross through the penalty area. Molly Shannon (Jr., Bellingham) met the cross with a volley from 12 yards out and drilled it into the left side of the net, giving the Vikings a 2-1 halftime advantage.

"This wasn't a game about tactics, the girls just played their best soccer today," said Connell. "We worked hard, created chances and our forwards did the job when we needed it."

The Vikings are 2-1-1 in their last four games with the Falcons, getting a win and a tie in GNAC play last season before suffering a 1-0 overtime loss in the NCAA II Far West Regional Final at Kirksville, Mo.

Western travels to Saint Martin's on Monday (1 p.m.) for a GNAC counter.

Western Washington vs. Seattle Pacific
Date: 10/03/09  Attendance: 450
Goals by Period    1   2    Total
Seattle Pacific    1   1 ---  2
Western Washington 2   1 ---  3
SCORING SUMMARY:
WWU - Frankland (Irving), 4:59
SPU - Johnson (Unassisted), 10:48
WWU - Shannon (Gibson, Frankland), 22:49
SPU - Lindsay (Jenkins), 66:02
WWU - Miller (Irving), 81:83
Shots: Western Washington 13, Seattle Pacific 18
Corner kicks: Western Washington 6, Seattle Pacific 3
Fouls: Western Washington 9, Seattle Pacific 12
Saves: Western Washington 6 (Broadbent 6), Seattle Pacific 3 (Rahm Kellerman 3)