NAMPA, Idaho - Seattle Pacific scored two first half goals and then escaped Nampa with a 2-1 victory on Thursday afternoon as the 13th-ranked nationally Falcons defeated Northwest Nazarene at the NNU Soccer Field.

The victory clinched the GNAC title for Seattle Pacific, who improved to 14-2-0 overall and 10-2-0 in GNAC play.

SPU's Kellie Zakrzewski scored an unassisted goal early, finding the net in the fourth minute after a run down the middle and a shot from 10-yards out.  Zakrzewski shed a defender during the run and beat NNU goalkeeper Tanya Zickefoose to the right side of the goal for her ninth goal of the season.

The Falcons struck again in the 27th-minute when Brandi Hamre finished a MacKenzie Laird cross inside the right post.  It was Hamre's fourth goal of the season.

SPU took the 2-0 lead into the locker room after dictating a majority of the play in the first half, however, the Crusaders came out a different team in the second half, forcing action and playing in the SPU side for most of the period.

The Crusaders (4-12-0, 3-6-0 GNAC) pulled within one in the 86th-minute when Jenny Field headed home a cross from Autumn Yturbe from four-yards out and nearly evened the score with 74 seconds to play as Sarah Staropoli had a quality run at goal stopped by SPU goalkeeper Brooke Yokers.

SPU held a 12-7 shot advantage and a 1-0 edge in corners.  Zickefoose made six saves for NNU while Yokers made three for the Falcons.

The Crusaders will play their final home match of the season on Saturday, hosting Central Washington University at Noon in the first game of a doubleheader with the NNU men's team.


Seattle Pacific (14-2-0, 9-2-0 GNAC) vs. Northwest Nazarene (4-12-0, 3-6-0 GNAC)
Date: Oct 27,2011   Attendance: 83
Weather: Sunny, 50 slight breeze

Goals by period       1  2  Tot
-------------------------------
Seattle Pacific.....  2  0 -  2
Northwest Nazarene..  0  1 -  1

SCORING SUMMARY:
  1.   4:03 SPU Kellie Zakrzewski (9) (unassisted) - Run down the middle shot from 10 yards out
  2.  27:43 SPU Brandi Hamre (4) (Mackenzie Laird) - shot from right side 10 yards out
  3.  86:57 NNU Field,Jenny (7) (Yturbe,Autumn) - cross from right side. headed in from 4 yards out

Shots: Seattle Pacific 12, Northwest Nazarene 7
Saves: Seattle Pacific 3 (Brooke Yokers 3), Northwest Nazarene 6
(Zickefoose,Tanya 6)