Thursday, November 3, 2022

NAMPA, Idaho – After a match that featured first-half screamers and a second half with lockdown defense, Northwest Nazarene took a 2-1 victory over Seattle Pacific to advance to the finals of the 2022 GNAC Women’s Soccer Championships for the first time in program history.

The pace of play was high right off the bat and Northwest Nazarene freshman midfielder Savanna Herz opened the scoring early for the Nighthawks, putting home the first goal of the match in just the fourth minute. The goal got the packed stands at NNU Soccer Field cheering but Seattle Pacific responded just over 10 minutes later. Sophie Beadle found herself deep in the NNU box and walked it into clean air before drilling a shot into the top right corner for SPU to equalize.

The scoring wasn’t finished there though, as Northwest Nazarene regained its form from the opening minutes and ramped up the offensive pressure. It was the GNAC-leading goal scorer Madison Grande who put the crowd back on its feet with a bomb from deep outside of the Seattle Pacific box to reclaim the lead before getting mobbed by her teammates. The Nighthawks held an 11-4 shot advantage in the first half after controlling play through the opening and closing stages of the frame and led 2-1 at halftime. Northwest Nazarene defender Kate Bleffert was key in holding the Falcons to one goal in the half, stopping a Beadle breakaway with a deft clear near the 30-minute mark.

In the second half, the Nighthawks tightened up the defense in the midfield making it incredibly difficult for Seattle Pacific to break out of its own half. Despite a handful of attacking opportunities late in the second half, the Falcons were only able to put up three shots in the second frame while NNU continued to press and make dangerous runs along the wings while controlling the midfield. Northwest Nazarene defender Makayla Roggow and Bleffert played all 90 minutes for the Nighthawks.

Grande’s rocket from outside the box proved to be the final goal of the match as NNU narrowly missed out on adding to its lead when 2022 GNAC Player of the Year Ashley Parton took a penalty kick that ricocheted off the crossbar and fell back into the hands a diving Mercedes Cullen for SPU with just over 16 minutes to play. The Nighthawks outshot the Falcons 19-7 by the final whistle.

With the win in the semifinals, Northwest Nazarene moves on to face Western Washington in the GNAC Championships finals Saturday at noon in Nampa.