Sports - Local Colleges

POSTED: Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008

WWU WOMEN'S SOCCER: Western's season ends in third round against old rival

The Western Washington University women's soccer team entered the third round of the NCAA Division II playoffs knowing full well that it was going to face a tight game against Seattle Pacific.

In two Great Northwestern Athletic Conference regular-season meetings with the Falcons this year, the Vikings won by one goal and finished tied.

And on Thursday, Nov. 20, Western found itself in another battle.

This time it was Seattle Pacific that came out on top, as GNAC Player of the Year Meredith Teague scored the game's only goal in the 16th minute of overtime at Kirksville, Mo.

"She's definitely a pretty good player," WWU senior Katie Warner said in a phone interview. "I wouldn't have wanted to lose any other way. Obviously, I wish it could have gone the other way for us, but I commend her for taking a great shot."

The loss not only ended a 16-game unbeaten streak for the Vikings, it brought their most successful season to a conclusion with a 17-3-2 record. The 17 wins were a school record for the program.

"We were obviously down after the loss, but (coach Travis Connell) said a few words afterwards," WWU senior Kelly Gagne said in a phone interview. "This is the first time we've won the GNAC title, and you really can't ask for more than that. And then we made it to the third round of the playoffs ... It started sinking in slowly what we have accomplished, but right now the loss is still fresh."

The Vikings and Falcons battled back and forth, Connell said, in a game that was as close as the score would indicate.

"It was end-to-end action," Connell said in a phone interview. "Both teams had really good chances."

The Vikings had a great chance in the first half when Molly Shannon put a volley on net, but Seattle Pacific goalie Maddie Dickinson was equal to the task.

Dickinson made two other nice saves in the second half, Connell said, both on shots from Western's Bryn Gibson from about 12 yards out.

"Both keepers played great games," Connell said. "I would say each team had five or six great scoring chances, and the goalies stopped them every time."

Western's Kylie Broadbent stretched to keep the ball from going over head five minutes into the overtime period and was credited with seven saves in the game.

But she couldn't get to the shot from Teague about 10 minutes later.

"She's a clutch player and she scores some big goals for them," Connell said. "We had a lot of pressure on them, and they counter attacked. She received the ball on her left foot and cut the ball across her body with her momentum taking her the other way from about eight meters out ... It was a fantastic goal."

Fantastic, but heart-wrenching for the Vikings.

"It's been a great ride, but it's definitely bittersweet right now," Warner said. "I like to think about all that we have accomplished this year, but it's tough to swallow right now - especially losing to SPU."

Warner, Gagne and Connell all said playing a familiar opponent did not hurt the Vikings' chances on Thursday.

"It was just frustrating," Gagne said. "We like to play different people. It just happened to be SPU that we had to face. I think they're one of the top teams in the nation, and I think we're one of the top teams. I think we're two of the top four teams in the country, and it (is too bad) we didn't meet in the Final Four."

The Vikings will lose four seniors from this year's roster: Warner, Gagne, Broadbent and Shelby Marcell.

"I think you have to give a lot of credit to the upperclassmen that have turned this program around," Connell said. "They turned it around with talent and with hard work. Every player that comes through here after them, they're going to know what is expected now because of the work those seniors put in ... They've been a special group - all four of them."

Warner said she is proud to be a part of the team's new direction.

"I will definitely look back on this and be proud," she said. "To be a part of something where we helped build a program, not out of nothing, but with a team that didn't have the right dynamic, to add the right players every year and work hard, I'm proud to be a part of that. I'm sad it's over, but it was a great experience."

Added Gagne, "The girls had a taste of success and the playoffs, and now it's up to them to carry on."

Seattle Pacific (19-1-2), which is ranked No. 4 nationally and received the Far West Region's No. 2 seed behind Western, moves on to face Truman in the national quarterfinals on Saturday, Nov. 22.