Sports - Sports News

POSTED: Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

WOMEN'S COLLEGE SOCCER: Vikings rally for tie

Western Washington University recovered from allowing an early goal, earning a 1-1 tie against nationally ranked Seattle Pacific University in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's soccer contest Wednesday at Interbay Stadium in Seattle.

The Vikings, who are on a five-game unbeaten streak, are 10-4-3 overall and stay atop the GNAC standings at 7-1-2.

Seattle Pacific, ranked No.6 nationally in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America/NCAA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll, is 14-2-1 overall and 7-1-1 in the GNAC.

"It was a fantastic game," said Western coach Travis Connell. "It was two heavyweight teams that just battled. I would have bought a ticket to watch this one. And a lot of our fans did, we had a lot of people here, it was fantastic support from our fans."

The Falcons opened the scoring in the eighth minute, as Brandi Hamre took a pass from Jocelyn Charette and fired inside the far post from 25 yards out.

SPU nearly doubled the advantage in the 31st minute, when Savanna Hanson headed a corner kick off the crossbar.

But Western responded in the second half, tying the score in the 66th minute. Kelly Irving played in a cross from the right that fell to Lucy Miller at the far post, and Miller, who had checked into the game less than 90 seconds before, tapped the ball in from two yards out for the equalizer.

Irving's assist gave her a GNAC-leading eight on the season, and was the 26th of her career, tying a school record held by Cindy Gordon for 25 years (1981-84)

"It was classic Irving, she had the ball in the corner with three defenders on her and got the cross off," said Connell. "And Lucy scores another big goal. She has 21 goals in her career, and 10 have been game-winning or game-tying."

Miller's other goal this season was the game-winner in a 3-2 triumph over then-No.1 ranked SPU on Oct. 3, ending the Falcons' 27-game unbeaten streak. Miller has two of the six goals allowed this season by the Falcons, who have posted shutouts in 14 of their 17 games.

"It was a real courageous effort," said Connell, adding that defender Alicia Patten returned from injury and played all 110 minutes. "Heart carried us through. SPU came out with energy and got a goal on us. But after about 20 minutes we came back. We dominated the second half, but SPU dominated the overtime."

The Falcons nearly got a game-winner with about five minutes left in overtime, but Janie Wurth's shot from 25 yards was stopped spectacularly by Western goalkeeper Kylie Broadbent, the last of her seven saves.

"That was one of the best saves I've ever seen," Connell said. "The ball swerved the wrong way and Kylie dove back across to stop it. The stands just went silent for a second."

The Falcons had a 17-14 advantage in shots overall.

Western is 2-1-2 now in its last five meetings with Seattle Pacific, the loss being 1-0 in overtime in the NCAA Division II West Regional championship game.

The result keeps Western temporarily in first place in the GNAC standings, but puts Seattle Pacific in the driver's seat for the conference championship, as the Falcons, who have played one less GNAC game than Western, would claim the crown with victories in their last three games even if the Vikings won their last two.

The conference champion earns an automatic berth in the NCAA II National Tournament. That is probably Western's best hope for post-season play, as the Vikings were seventh in this week's West Region ranking and would probably need to be in the top five to receive an at-large berth.