Complete Box Score

La Jolla, Ca. (Nov. 4)—Three Triton goals proved to be too much to overcome as the 18th-ranked Seattle Pacific University women’s soccer team was eliminated by No. 3 UC San Diego 3-0 in the Far West Region women’s title game Saturday afternoon at Triton Soccer Field.

UC San Diego’s (20-1-2) Caitlyn Ryan connected on a corner-kick in the 22nd minute and the Tritons got second half insurance goals from Megan Dickey and Kelly Cochran en route to advancing to next week’s NCAA Quarterfinal to be hosted by the winner of tomorrow’s (Nov. 5) Midwest Region final between Metro State and Saint Edward’s.

UCSD’s victory avenged a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Seattle Pacific in the region title match of 2005. The Tritons are unbeaten in their last 15 matches.

The Tritons went into the locker room with a 1-0 advantage, but Seattle Pacific began the second half with plenty of resolve, stringing together four consecutive quality scoring chances.

The best opportunity came directly after intermission when forward Alex Kirk (Fr., Edmonds, Wa./Edmonds-Woodway) received a diagonal pass from the Falcon midfield and made a run down the gut of the penalty box toward UCSD keeper Jessica McGovern. Kirk slipped behind a couple of Triton defenders, but could not get off a shot attempt.

Near the 53-minute mark, Janae Godoy (Fr., Yakima, Wa./West Valley), Sarah Martinez (Jr., Bothell, Wa./Cedar Park Christian) and Meredith Teague (So., Redmond, Wa./Bellevue Christian) challenged McGovern with successive shots over a 2:23 span. McGovern saved all three, half of her six saves on the afternoon.

Following Teague’s miss, Dickey scored on UCSD’s counter-attack. Dickey beat SPU keeper Katie Ruggles (Sr., Eugene, Or./South Eugene) to the low post from eight yards, after Cochran yielded on a Kathy Sepulveda cross to the middle of the penalty box (56:52).

Dickey and Nicole Pepper teamed up on a short passing play to Cochran for the final margin (66:10).

Ruggles finished the afternoon with two saves and yielded to Jesslyn Rahm (Fr., Eugene, Or./South Eugene) late in the second half.

Shots tallied up at a 13-9 Triton advantage while shots on goal were nearly even, the Falcons holding a slight edge at 6-5. UCSD took four corner-kicks to Seattle Pacific’s three.

“We are a young team,” said Seattle Pacific Head Coach Chuck Sekyra. “It’s a tribute to our hard work and determination that we upheld the standard of our program this year.”

Under Sekyra, the Falcons have averaged just over 18 wins per season and have qualified for NCAA Playoffs in each of his four years. Seattle Pacific finishes out its campaign 17-5-0.

Scoring – 1) UCSD, Ryan (unassisted) 21:02; 2) UCSD, Dickey (unassisted) 56:52; 3) UCSD, Cochran (Pepper, Dickey) 66:10.

Shots – UCSD 13, SPU 9.

Shots on Goal – SPU 6, UCSD 5.

Saves – UCSD (McGovern 6, Shirley 0), SPU (Ruggles 2, Rahm 0).

C. Kicks – UCSD 4, SPU 3.

Fouls – UCSD 14, SPU 10.

Cautions – SPU, Martinez (yellow) 65:15; UCSD, Mayo (yellow) 86:41.