No. 22 Falcons Women's Soccer Team Wins 18th Straight at Home, 3-1
September 4, 2004

SEATTLE (Sept. 4) – Michelle Sanders scored twice in the first half and Shannon Lovejoy provided the final margin early in the second, to lift 22nd-ranked Seattle Pacific University over Chico State 3-1, in a non-conference women’s soccer match Saturday night at Interbay Stadium.

Although with eight seconds to play in the first half, Chico’s Ashley Gunther managed to break a 686-minute string of scoreless minutes for the Seattle Pacific defense on its home turf, the victory boosted Seattle Pacific’s (3-0) home win string to 18 straight games, a streak that stretches back to 2002.

Sanders (Sr., Centralia, Wa.) opened up scoring in the match on a 12-yard blank to the upper right corner of Chico’s goal at 14:02. Jessica Henson (Sr., Spokane, Wa./University) and Heidi Jacobson (Jr., Kirkland, Wa./Cedar Park Christian/Gonzaga) were credited with assists on the play.

At 34:56, Sanders struck again. Midfielder Kara Hamby (Fr., Spokane, Wa./Mead) used a nifty cut-back move to beat a Chico defender and lofted a cross from near the end-line to Sanders. Sanders finished to the left post from eight yards out.

Gunther’s score at 44:52 was from 25-yards. SPU keeper Jennifer Hull (Sr., Eugene, Or./Sheldon) caught Gunther’s shot, but it was over the goal line. Chico’s Danielle Nieto assisted on the play.

Falcon midfielder Shannon Lovejoy (Jr., Seattle, Wa./Seattle Prep) buried a penalty kick at 46:27 for the final margin. Lovejoy was denied a second goal at 58:00 when she headed Sanders’ cross from the right corner into the cross bar. The junior midfielder led the Great Northwest Athletic Conference in points in ’03.

Sanders has scored a point in each game of 2004, netting the game-winning goal in the season opener against Cal State Dominguez Hills and assisting on another against Pomona.

The Falcons take to the road for a pair of matches in California just after Labor Day. Tuesday(Sept. 6), SPU kicks off against Cal State Los Angeles and Friday, against San Francisco State. Kick-offs are scheduled for four and seven o’clock, respectively. The first GNAC contest is Sept. 15 against Western Washington.

Scoring—1) SPU, Sanders (Henson, Jacobson) 14:02, 2) SPU, Saners (Hamby) 34:56; 3) CSUC, Gunther (Nieto) 44:52; 4) Lovejoy (unassisted) 46:27.

Shots—SPU 12, CSUC 8.

Saves—SPU (Hull) 4, CSUC (Jimenez) 4.

Corner kicks—SPU 5, CSUC 2.

Fouls—SPU10, CSUC 6.

Offiside—SPU 1, CSUC 0.

Cautions—none.