NAMPA, Idaho – The result wasn't what the Northwest Nazarene women's soccer team wanted Thursday, but for five seniors it wrapped up their remarkable home careers.

Playing on senior night, the Nighthawks lost 1-0 to Central Washington in a crucial match in the hunt for the Great Northwest Athletic Conference tournament.

Brooke Felzien, Corrinah Schaefer and Tennyson Young all have played at NNU for four years, while Christa Lewis and Maddy Parton have been in Nampa two years. They all played their final home match Thursday.

"I just feel super lucky to be around these people," Young said. "No matter the result, we work together and we played hard for each other. That is all you can ask for."

The Nighthawks (5-7-2 overall, 2-4-2 GNAC) were unlucky Thursday as Rikki Myers had a shot saved off the line by a defender and Ashley Parton was robbed of a goal on a breakaway by a huge save from Central Washington's Emily Thomson.

"We are always going to work hard, but we are not scoring goals right now," NNU coach Mary Trigg said. "You can't win in the GNAC if you don't score goals. We had a couple of opportunities, but soccer is a cruel sport."

Alexis Montoya was brilliant in goal, making 10 saves for the Nighthawks, but the Wildcats (6-5-1, 4-2-1) scored in the 79th minute after constant pressure late in the second half.

"Something needs to change," Felzien said. "We've been too stagnant. We just need to light a fire and get it done. It is still in our grasp and I think we have the talent and the depth to do it. We just need to get it done."

The Nighthawks have four road games remaining, but trail the Wildcats – who are in the final playoff spot – by five points. NNU plays at last-place Saint Martin's next Thursday, then plays at No. 1 Western Washington, at Central Washington and then at second-place Seattle Pacific. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a tie.

It is a tough hill to climb, but the playoffs are still in sight.

"Even though the past few games have been frustrating, there is still a lot of season," Young said. "We can either die off or regain the confidence we had at the beginning of the season. We just need to come together and get it done these last four games."

No matter what happens down the stretch, though, for the seniors they will always know they were a part of turning around the program.

"It's hard to put into words," Felzien said. "It's been so cool to be a part of the change from four wins to the record-breaking season – to be here through the whole thing has been amazing."

The group was 4-13 as freshmen, but went 11-7 in 2017 and advanced to the playoffs for the first time in program history. In 2018, they finished with a .500 or better record for just the second time in program history.

"The biggest thing I got from the last four years is definitely the team dynamic," Schaefer said. "Everyone is always cheering you on and encouraging you and it feels like family.

"To see what it was when I was a freshman to what it is now. There is so much more to come for this program."

Including what is possible the next four games.