SEATTLE, Wash. – Northwest Nazarene women's soccer had the advantage in shots and possession at Seattle Pacific on Saturday, but the Falcons were able to score an early goal and hold NNU off the board in a 1-0 defeat.
The Nighthawks end the regular season at 9-2-3 in GNAC play and 11-3-4 overall.
Following today's action, the participants in the 2022 GNAC Championships hosted by NNU in Nampa have been set, with one-seed Western Washington facing four-seed Simon Fraser on Thursday at 4:00 p.m. followed by two-seed Northwest Nazarene against three-seed Seattle Pacific in a rematch of today's game at 7:00 p.m.
How It Happened
NNU had the first two chances of the game, as
Carolyn Moravec and Savannah Herz both put shots on target in the opening five minutes.
It was Seattle Pacific that got on the board early, though, scoring in just the 11
th minute when AJ DePinto sent a long, curling shot that just snuck in under the crossbar on the near side.
The Nighthawks would have numerous chances to equalize, and perhaps none better than in the 22
nd minute when
Allison Wolf got to a ball off a corner and took a shot that was saved off the goal line by a Falcon defender.
NNU held the advantage in the run of play for nearly the entire game, outshooting the Falcons by 11 and tallying eight shot attempts in each half. The Falcons were able to clamp down on defense though after the early goal, only letting six of those 16 attempts on frame where SPU keeper Kaitlynn Knocke was up to the task.
Nighthawks Notes
- The Nighthawks registered 16 shots to just five for the Falcons, including a 6-2 advantage on target
- NNU also had a slim advantage in corners, gaining four to SPU's three
- Goal-scoring threats Madison Grande and Sierra Sanchez combined for nine shots for the Nighthawks, but none of the nine were on goal
- The Nighthawks went 1-1 against the Falcons this season, winning 3-1 at home in September before today's road loss
- NNU's qualification to the GNAC Championships marks just the third time that Northwest Nazarene women's soccer has reached the conference postseason, joining last year and the 2017 season
Next Up
As mentioned, the Nighthawks have a chance to get revenge on Seattle Pacific immediately, squaring off with the Falcons in the GNAC Semifinals next Thursday, Nov. 3 at 7:00 p.m. in Nampa.
