Tuesday, October 30, 2012

PORTLAND, Ore. – Western Washington goalkeeper Jamie Arthurs has been selected the 2012 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Women’s Soccer Player of the Year.

Arthurs (5-8, Sr., Richland, WA) led the Vikings to the GNAC regular-season title carving out a 0.28 goals against average and setting conference records for most shutouts in a single season (14) and career (37).  She is also on pace to set a GNAC record for the lowest single-season GAA.

“Jamie has meant so much to our program over the past four years,” WWU coach Travis Connell said.  “She has had a tremendous senior season and we are all thrilled that she has capped her career as the GNAC Player of the Year.”

Western Washington defender Brina Sych and Viking forward Catherine Miles also earned special awards.  Sych  (5-6, Jr., Vancouver, WA) was voted the GNAC Defensive Player of the Year.  She led a defense that allowed just five goals.  At the same time, she matched those numbers offensively scoring five goals and also earning five assists ending up eighth overall in the regular-season in scoring with 15 points.

Miles (5-7, Fr., Anacortes, WA), who led WWU in scoring and ranked second in the GNAC overall with 20 points (7 goals, 6 assists), was selected the GNAC Freshman of the Year.

Western Oregon claimed the other two special awards.  Defender Melissa Gonzalez (5-5, Jr., Huntington Beach, CA) was selected the GNAC Newcomer of the Year, while WOU coach Steve Ancheta was voted the GNAC Coach of the Year. 

In his two seasons at WOU, Ancheta, a 1991 graduate of Oregon State, has led WOU to its best two conference records in the past decade including 6-7-1 this season.

Western Washington placed three players – Arthurs, Sych and forward Kristin Maris (5-9, Jr., Issaquah, WA) – on the GNAC first-team all-conference team, while Seattle Pacific, Montana State Billings and Central Washington each earned two slots.  Western Oregon and Northwest Nazarene each had one first team selection.

Three players – Seattle Pacific forward Megan Lindsay (5-7, Sr., Spokane, WA), Sych and MSUB defender Jennifer Larsen (5-4, Sr., Mesa, AZ) -  were unanimous selections.  Five players, including Lindsay and MSUB midfielder Jaucelyn Richter (5-5, Sr., Billings, MT)  who were named to the first team for the third consecutive year, were repeat selections. 

Other first team repeaters included Arthurs, Western Oregon midfielder Lindsay Bauman (5-2, Sr., Portland, OR) and Central Washington forward Carson McKole (5-2, Sr., Oak Harbor, WA).

2012 GNAC ALL-CONFERENCE WOMEN’S SOCCER TEAM

SPECIAL AWARDS: GNAC  Player-of-the-Year – Jamie Arthurs, Western Washington. GNAC Defensive Player-of-the-Year – Brina Sych, Western Washington.  GNAC Newcomer-of-the-Year – Melissa Gonzalez, Western Oregon. GNAC Freshman-of-the-Year – Catherine Miles, Western Washington.  GNAC Coach-of-the-Year – Steve Ancheta, Western Oregon.

FIRST TEAM: Forwards - +**Megan Lindsay, SPU (5-7, Sr., Spokane, WA); Kristin Maris, WWU (5-9, Jr., Issaquah, WA);  *Carson McKole, CWU (5-2, Sr., Oak Harbor, WA). Midfielders - **Jaucelyn Richter, MSUB (5-5, Sr., Billings, MT); *Lindsay Bauman, WOU (5-2, Sr., Portland, OR);  Sarah Staropoli, NNU (5-2, Sr., Beaverton, OR). Defenders - +Brina Sych, WWU (5-6, Jr., Vancouver, WA); +Jennifer Larsen, MSUB (5-4, Sr., Mesa, AZ); Tarah Duty, CWU (5-4, Jr., Black Diamond, WA); Shayla Page, SPU (5-6, Fr., Redmond, WA). Goalkeeper - *Jamie Arthurs, WWU (5-8, Sr., Richland, WA).  +Unanimous *Repeater **Two-time repeater

SECOND TEAM: Forwards - Heidi Greenback, MSUB (5-7, Jr., Woodinville, WA); Marina Austin, WOU (5-6, Sr., Olympia, WA); Ali Martin, SPU (5-5, So., Beaverton, OR). Midfielders - Kim Cooper, WWU (5-2, So., Bellingham, WA); Savanna Moorehouse, CWU (5-11, So., Bonney Lake, WA); Annie Thomas, SPU (5-5, So., Lake Stevens, WA). Defenders - Caley Wiseman, SMU (5-0, Sr., University Place, WA); Brianna Jones, WWU (5-8, So., Bonney Lake, WA); Rebecca Hoiland, WOU (5-7, Jr., West Linn, OR); Katie Butler, NNU (5-4, Jr., Nampa, ID). Goalkeeper - Aiko Johnson, MSUB (5-7, Fr., Fullerton, CA)

HONORABLE MENTION:  Forwards - Catherine Miles, WWU (5-7, Fr., Anacortes, WA); Nicole Nedervelt, SMU (5-10, Sr., West Seattle, WA); Jenny Field, NNU (5-6, Jr., Nampa, ID); Joana Houplin, WWU (5-3, So., Olympia, WA). Midfielders - Ashton Griffen, WWU (5-5, Jr., Puyallup, WA); Reilly Retz, CWU (5-7, Fr., Kent, WA);  Chelsea Shuman, MSUB (5-2, So., Kalispell, MT); Laura Moore, SPU  (5-3, Fr., Kent, WA); Ashley Richardson, SMU (5-5, So., Yakima, WA); Alexa Diaz, SPU (5-4, So., Burien, WA); Kelsy Villegas, CWU (5-4, Sr., Graham, WA); Kym Witmer, WOU (5-3, Sr., Newberg, OR). Defenders - Whitney Siler, MSUB (5-9, Jr., Monroe, WA); Melissa Gonzalez, WOU (5-5, Jr., Huntington Park, CA); Josie Graybeal, SPU (5-7, Jr., Gig Harbor, WA); Kristen Kastelic, MSUB (5-9, Sr., Phoenix, AZ); Kayla Russ, WWU (5-7, Jr., Puyallup, WA); Emma Holm, SPU (5-4, Fr., Kirkland, WA). Goalkeepers - Ashley Engel, SMU (5-9, Sr., Burien, WA); Tanya Zickefoose, NNU (5-5, Sr., Edmonds, WA); Amanda Gilliland, SFU (5-6, Fr., Delta, BC).

Falcons Ranked 22nd in National Poll

Seattle Pacific slipped one slot and is ranked 22nd in this week's NSCAA Division II women's soccer national poll.  The Falcons fell despite shutting out Simon Fraser 4-0 and previously 14th ranked Western Washington 1-0 last week. 

WWU fell completely out of the rankings with its loss.  In the unofficial NSCAA regional poll, SPU remained in the No. 3 slot, while the Vikings fell from second to fifth. Montana State Billings dropped from seventh to ninth.

The final official NCAA West Regional poll will be announced Wednesday. Then next Monday the NCAA will announce the three at-large teams that will receive bids to the tournament during a web cast at www.ncaa.com. The at-large entries will join the GNAC, CCAA and PacWest champions in the tournament.

The GNAC champion will be determined in a tournament this weekend at the Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, Wash.  The semifinals on Thursday will match top-seed Western Washington and No. 4 seed Western Oregon at 5 p.m. and second-seed Seattle Pacific and third-seed Montana State Billings at 8.  The championship game will be played Saturday at 2 p.m.

Monday's web cast will begin at 4 p.m. Pacific time with the announcement of the men’s qualifiers.  The women’s qualifiers will be announced beginning at 4:30 p.m. Pacific time.

GNAC Players of the Week