Monday, November 6, 2023
by Thomas Lal

PORTLAND, Ore. – After a thrilling season that saw the regular season championship decided on the penultimate day of the conference slate and the postseason field finalized on the final day, the best of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference head to Ellensburg, Wash., for the 2023 GNAC Women’s Soccer Championships, which begins on Thursday.

Three of the four teams to make the tournament return after appearing in the 2022 edition while Western Oregon makes its first appearance in the tournament since 2019. Seattle Pacific enters the GNAC Championships as the No. 1 seed after claiming a record 10th regular season title ahead of No. 2 seed Western Washington. Western Oregon comes in as the No. 3 seed with Simon Fraser making a third straight postseason appearance as the No. 4 seed.

Seattle Pacific finished the regular season with a 12-2-5 record (9-0-5 GNAC) and is in the midst of a 15-match undefeated streak that dates back to Sept. 16. The Falcons lead the conference in shots, points, goals, goals per game and assists heading in the tournament and have outscored GNAC opponents 27-10 this season.

Reigning GNAC, West Region, and Division II champion Western Washington finished the regular season with an 11-4-4 record (9-2-3 GNAC). The Vikings have been among the best defensive teams in the conference, leading the GNAC in shutouts and goals against average.

Seattle Pacific and Western Washington have both participated in every GNAC Championships tournament dating back to 2012. The two teams have met in the tournament final six times and have split those meetings with three wins apiece. On the whole, the Vikings have won six GNAC Championships tournaments while the Falcons have won three.

Western Oregon finished the regular season with an 8-4-6 record (5-4-5 GNAC) and clinched its spot in the tournament on the final day of the conference slate. The Wolves come into the tournament leading the GNAC in assists per game and ranking second in shots, points, goals, goals per game and total assists.

Simon Fraser comes into the GNAC Championships after finishing the regular season with a 6-5-5 record (5-5-4 GNAC), also clinching its spot on the final day of the conference slate. Along with WWU, the Red Leafs have been one of the best defensive teams in the GNAC and are tied for second in the conference in just 14 goals allowed. They also rank third in goals against average, shutouts and assists per game.

Thursday’s first semifinal will see No. 2 seed Western Washington face No. 3 seed Western Oregon. The two sides split their meetings this season, both taking 1-0 wins at home. Both of those results featured goals by each team’s respective scoring leader. On Sept. 30, it was WOU senior forward  Raeanne Jones who scored the game-winner and on Oct. 26 it was WWU sophomore forward Morgan Manalili who notched the game-winner in Bellingham.

Jones is tied for the team lead and fourth in the conference along with teammate Chloe Smith on 12 points courtesy of five goals and two assists. Manalili leads the Vikings and ranks second in the conference with 15 points on six goals and three assists after leading the GNAC in scoring a year ago. Both sides can also expect exceptional goalkeeping heading into Thursday’s semifinal. Western Washington’s Claire Henninger leads the conference with a 0.50 goals against average, a .875 save percentage and nine shutouts while WOU’s Sophia Pierce is second with a 0.59 goals against average and fourth with an .830 save percentage.

The second semifinal match will pit No. 1 seed Seattle Pacific against No. 4 seed Simon Fraser in a rematch of 2021’s GNAC Championships semifinal where the Falcons went on to win the tournament. The two sides will be familiar with each other after drawing 1-1 last Saturday in Seattle to cap off the regular season. The Falcons won their first meeting of the season 2-1 on Oct. 12.

The SPU offense and the GNAC have been led by Jacqueline Blakeley with 16 points on seven goals and two assists while the Falcons’ defense has been anchored by Mercedes Cullen in net with an undefeated 9-0-4 record and an .844 save percentage to go with five shutouts. Simon Fraser has been led by junior midfielder Kate Cartier with 12 points on five goals and two assists. The Red Leafs also have a star performer in net with Sarah Loewen compiling an 0.88 goals against average and a .833 save percentage to go with seven shutouts.

The Championship match will be played on Saturday at 1 p.m. The winner will receive the conference's automatic berth to the NCAA Division II Championships.