Great strides taken. Although advancing to the final four of the NCAA tournament was ultimately not to be, the Seattle Pacific University women’s soccer team took great strides toward its goal of winning its first national championship in 2004. In the program’s fourth year of existence, the Falcons were unbeaten in regular season play, earned their third consecutive Great Northwest Athletic Conference title and reached No. 1 in the national rankings for the first time. With six starters and several key players expected to return from a squad which finished 19-1-2 and ranked No. 9, SPU takes a great deal of momentum into 2005.

Shannon Lovejoy (left), Jennifer Hull (center), and Michelle Everson were named to All-America teams.

(All-) American women. While all but one playoff team–the national champion–must end its campaign with a loss, several individuals finished the year with great gusto, as Seattle Pacific realized its second group of All-America selections. Heading the list was midfielder Shannon Lovejoy (Jr., Seattle, Wa./Seattle Prep), who garnered first team NSCAA/adidas honors. Lovejoy, the GNAC player of the year, had been a second team member a year ago. Another repeat selection was goalkeeper Jennifer Hull (Sr., Eugene, Or./Sheldon), who made the second team. Hull was also named ESPN Academic All-America first team and NSCAA Scholar All-America. She finished third in NCAA in goals-against average (0.39) and paced the GNAC with 10 shutouts. Defender Michelle Everson (Jr., Tacoma, Wa./Stadium) made third team All-America and was another NSCAA Scholar All-America. Everson set school and conference records for season assists (13) and finished 11th nationally.

Sekyra’s fantastic run. Chuck Sekyra, the GNAC Coach of the Year, guided his Falcons to several team records, most noteworthy the record for consecutive wins (13) and season victories (19). The regular season unbeaten string reached 37 games (34-0-3), and the conference unbeaten streak hit 32 matches (30-0-2). The defense allowed just eight total goals (four of them coming in NCAA playoffs) and finished one match shy (16) of the collegiate record for season shutouts. Overall, Seattle Pacific allowed just three first-half goals and offensively it scored 60 times, setting a new standard.

3rd time not charmed. Just two teams were able to smudge SPU’s record and intra-city rival Seattle University did so twice. The first was a Nov. 6 1-1 tie at Championship Field, and the second was, unfortunately, a season-ending 2-0 decision in the Far West Region championship game. A week earlier, the Falcons had overpowered the same Redhawks by a 4-0 count. SPU advanced to the second round by a tiebreaker decision over Chico State following a 2-2 overtime draw. Lovejoy’ converted the decisive penalty kick and Hull made one save. The goals were both set-up by Everson, with corner kicks to Sarah Melby (Sr., Mukilteo, Wa./Kamiak-Idaho) and Carolyn Nason (So., Lafayette, Co./Broomfield-Metro State) in either half.

Decorated returnees. Sekyra loses five starters, including three all-region selections in forward Michelle Sanders (Sr., Centralia, Wa.), Hull and Melby. In addition, four-year starters Jessica Henson (Sr., Spokane, Wa./University) and Katie Lim (Sr., Hillsboro, Or.) are due to graduate. However, the Falcons figure to reload quickly. Sekyra expects to announce his recruiting class shortly after the National Letter of Intent signing period begins Feb. 4. Among his returnees are two All-Americans in Lovejoy and Everson, plus all-region picks Nason and forward Sarah Martinez (Fr., Bothell, Wa./Cedar Park Christian). Midfielders Heidi Jacobson (Jr., Kirkland, Wa./Cedar Park Christian) and Megan Lienhard (Jr., Everett, Wa./Cascade), combining for 10 goals and 29 points between them, are also back, along with Jean Kolb (Jr., Eugene, Or./South Eugene) and Mollie Taylor (So., Westlake Village, Ca./Oaks Christian), who split starts on defense.

For the record. As would be expected for such a young program which has experienced so much success, lots of records were broken this season. Among the other notable standards set were win percentage (.909), consecutive games unbeaten (21) and goals-against average (0.36). Individually, Hull’s 25 career shutouts and career GAA of 0.81 could be tough to surpass. Lovejoy goes into her final year as the career leader in points (86) and goals (34) while Sanders, the runner-up in those categories, is the assists leader with 23.

Footnotes. Seattle Pacific finished No. 2 in NCAA scoring defense (0.36) and shutout percentage (0.73)...Metro State (Co.), which eliminated Seattle U., 1-0, in the quarterfinal stage, went on to take the NCAA championship, beating Adelphi (NY), 3-2...Sekyra’s tentative 2005 schedule begins at home Aug. 27 vs. Chico State. Among the other nonconference home games are Sonoma State, Grand Canyon and Montana State Billings. The Falcons will meet Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State Bakersfield, Cal State Dominguez Hills on the road. The featured spring exhibition is at Washington Apr. 30...Sanders and Henson joined Hull on the academic all-district first team. Melby made the second team...Inaugural four-year team members Hull, Lim, Sanders, Henson, Karen France (Sr., Woodland Park, Co./Palmer) and Leila Stalnaker (Sr., Auburn, Wa./Seattle Christian) finished with a combined record of 57-17-7...SPU finished 10-1-1 at home...Sanders, who missed both playoff games with a knee injury, still was No. 3 in GNAC goals (10) and points (24). Lovejoy was fifth in points (23). Martinez and Henson led the league in game-winning goals (5). SPU was the top scoring team in the GNAC (2.73)...Among the other key nonstarters expected to fill key roles next season are midfielders Allison Teague (Jr., Redmond, Wa./Bellevue Christian) and Kara Hamby (Fr., Spokane, Wa./Mead), and defender Tricia Loomis (Fr., Des Moines, Wa./Mount Rainier)...The Falcons’ GNAC unbeaten streak dates back to Sept. 25, 2002 (Seattle U., 2-1, at Interbay). The last regular season loss was to Cal State Dominguez Hills (2-1, Sept. 1, 2003)...During Sekyra’s tenure, 30 of the 36 wins have been by shutout.

Tickets, Please. Ticket prices for all SPU regular season home games are $5 for general admission, with students and senior citizens $3. Group and team rates are available by phoning (206) 281-2085 in advance.

SPU Coaching Staff. Chuck Sekyra was voted coach of the year in the GNAC after taking the Falcons to a league title, NCAA playoff berth and a 17-2-2 record in his first season. Seykra, an assistant at Washington for three seasons, has close ties to the Puget Sound soccer community and to Seattle Pacific in particular. He is a graduate of SPU, played on two NCAA championship teams and was assistant men’s coach from 1998-99. Sekyra was a starter on the ‘86 squad which became the first in Division II history to win back-to-back NCAA crowns. He is head coach of the Washington State girls ODP Under-16 team and a Region IV ODP staff coach. Goalkeeper coach Kevin Blokker returns for his second year on the staff after previously coaching at San Francisco (his alma mater), Wyoming, Fresno State and Kansas. Julie Cain is back for her third year. She both played and coached at Westmont. Chalise Baysa is new to the staff in 2004. She is Oregon’s all-time scoring leader and now plays for the W-League Seattle Sounders.

Missing links. For the latest and best information on Seattle Pacific University athletics, stay where you're at -- on The Falcons Online. For updated standings and statistics, see the Great Northwest Athletic Conference web site.