Complete Box Score

SEATTLE, Wa. (Nov. 2)—Shannon Lovejoy and Allison Teague combined to score three goals as No. 2 Seattle Pacific University clinched its fourth consecutive Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championship by beating Central Washington 3-1, Wednesday night at Interbay Stadium.

The Falcons (16-0-3/9-0-2) have not lost a GNAC match in their last 43 tries (39-0-4) and remain unbeaten in 56 consecutive regular season games (51-0-5). SPU is vying for its third straight invitation to the NCAA Division II tournament, and enters the month of November unbeaten for the second straight year.

Lovejoy (Sr., Seattle, Wa./Seattle Prep.) buried a penalty kick to the left corner at 7:25, after teammate Sarah Martinez (So., Bothell, Wa./Cedar Park Christian) was taken down in the box by a Wildcat defender.

Martinez assisted on Teague’s (Sr., Redmond, Wa./Bellevue Christian/Santa Clara) score to give the Falcons a 2-0 edge at the half. The sophomore forward broke free on the right sideline, and crossed a ball into the middle of the penalty box. Teague lofted Martinez’ cross past Central Washington keeper Megan Michaud to the upper left corner (61:30).

The Wildcats’ Stephanie Brencic brought Central to within one with an uncontested finish in the 62nd minute after an errant cross slipped through the hands of Falcon keeper Jennifer Burns (Boise, Id../Capital), but Lovejoy garnered an insurance goal at 78:00 for the final margin.

The Falcons out-shot Central 16-4. Both Michaud and Burns made a pair of saves.

“Our fourth Championship came tonight as a result of the hard work we’ve put in all year,” said Seattle Pacific Coach Chuck Sekyra. “Central really battled, but we were the better team.”

NCAA tournament pairings will be announced Nov. 7, and the Falcons are currently the top seed in the Far West, and coincidentally, the frontrunner to host the Far West Regional Nov. 10 and 12.

Seattle Pacific closes out the regular season Saturday night, with a highly anticipated intra-city match-up with Seattle University. Prior to the 7PM scheduled kickoff, seniors Lovejoy, Teague, Heidi Jacobson (Sr., Kirkland, Wa./Cedar Park Christian), Megan Lienhard (Sr., Everett, Wa./Cascade), Michelle Everson (Sr., Tacoma, Wa./Stadium), Jean Kolb (Sr., Eugene, Or./South Eugene) and Erin Pierce (Sr., Milwaukie, Or./Rex Putnam) will be honored in a short ceremony.

Scoring—1) SPU, Lovejoy (penalty kick) 7:25; 2) SPU, Teague (Martinez) 35:10; 3) CWU, Brencic (unassisted) 61:30; 4) Lovejoy (unassisted) 78:00.

Shots—SPU 16, CWU 6.

C. Kicks—SPU 4, CWU 1.

Saves—SPU (Burns 2), CWU (Michaud 2).

Fouls—SPU 8, CWU 10.