NAMPA, Idaho – The Northwest Nazarene women's soccer team ended a roller coaster season on a high note Saturday.

The Nighthawks shut out Simon Fraser 2-0 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action at NNU Field.

"It's overwhelming," NNU senior Olivia Carter said. "I couldn't have asked for a better way to go out. We've had a long, rough season, but to go out with a win against team that beat us 5-0 ..."

Simon Fraser (10-5-1 overall, 8-3-1 GNAC) defeated NNU 5-0 on Oct. 11, but on Saturday the Nighthawks had an inspired defensive effort and got great goals from Rikki Myers and Brooke Felzien.

"Every other game was kind of frustrating," Carter said, "because today is who we are and who we could have been all season. I'm so proud of my team. Everyone who stepped in today made something happen."

Saturday's victory gives the Nighthawks (8-8-1, 4-8-0) the second best winning percentage in a season since the school moved to Division II full time in 2002. The eight wins match the 2012 and 2006 teams, but both finished under .500.

"It was a great way to send off our seniors," NNU coach Mary Trigg said. "People stepped up today in different positions. We have 13 new people and if that doesn't inspire them for next year and the future, I don't know what will."

The difference in the atmosphere surrounding the game was evident from the start. The bench was shouting encouragement, the players on the field were talking, everyone was hustling and it paid off with a pair of goals.

In the 25th minute, Kaisa Tsuruta kicked a long pass that found the feet of Myers, who calmly settled it mid-sprint. She outran two defenders and hammered home a low shot into the right corner of the net.

It remained 1-0 deep into the second half, when Magda Wronski found Brooke Felzien who spun past a defender and scored into the left side of the net in the 78th minute.

The Nighthawks defense and goalie Chloe Sholtz made it stand up for the team's fifth shutout of the season.

"I think we played a complete 90 minutes today and it was one of our best games of the season," said Sholtz, who made four saves. "To win against them – especially when we kind of got smashed the last time – it really feels good."

Midfielder Madi Taylor, Carter, Sholtz and Tsuruta all started their final games for the Nighthawks. While they didn't get back to the playoffs, they do have the privilege of knowing they led the Nighthawks to their lone Division II playoff appearance a season ago.

"This is how we can play. Howe can do it and what we are capable of being," Trigg said. "It took everyone stepping up. We had different people in different positions and they stepped up and took care of it."