Seattle U Redhawks have winning Friday

Julia Besagno scored the penalty kick winner for the Redhawks. (School file photo)

SEATTLE—Seattle University women’s soccer (8-7-2, 3-2-2 WAC) hosted New Mexico State (2-13-3, 0-6-1 WAC) in their second to final regular season match and came from behind to take the 2-1 win. This win ensures the team a spot in their first Western Athletic Conference Tournament on Nov. 1-4 in Logan, Utah.

“I was just really proud of our team,” said head coach Julie Woodward. “We’re down a couple of players right now, due to injury, who contribute minutes and I just think a lot of players stepped up. I thought the team played well as a whole; I thought Liana [Heberer] came in and did a great job for us. I thought that Heather [Thomas] coming in and getting our first goal to tie the game was awesome. Shawna Anderson, who hadn’t seen many minutes recently, came in and gave us a spark. Overall, I’m just proud of all their efforts. We had to grind out a win; New Mexico State is not a bad team, and I’m happy to extend our season because of it.”

Seattle U fell behind early, as the Aggies’ Layla Todd, assisted by Miranda Valdez, scored the early goal in the 7th minute.

In the 28th minute, the Redhawks tied the score, 1-1, as Heather Thomas (Woodinville, Wash.) scored on assists by Monique Escalera (Riverside, Calif.) and Carlee Norquist (Boise, Idaho).

The score remained 1-1 into halftime and through most of the second half until less than five minutes left in regulation.

In the 86th minute, Melissa Busque (St. Bruno, Quebec, Canada) was taken down in the box resulting in a penalty kick for Seattle U. Julia Besagno (Maple Valley, Wash.) took the penalty kick, which was good, to put the Redhawks up, 2-1, which remained the final score at the buzzer.

“It was a good game for us,” said Besagno. “We were down early, which is always tough, but I think it showed a lot about our character that we fought through it and stuck with it. We fought hard and played together; as the game went on, we kept fighting and I think sticking in it and playing together was really what we needed. It was a good win and I’m proud of everyone.”

Overall, the Redhawks outshot the Aggies 20-10. Stephanie Verdoia (Salt Lake City, Utah) led SU with five shots, one on goal, while Elise Nordin and Samantha Sandoval led NMSU with two shots apiece.

Brittany Lott (Fort Collins, Colo.), recording her first career start in goal, made five saves in the complete game win. In goal for New Mexico State, Mikaela Bitner recorded six saves in 90 minutes of play.

Seattle University hosts Denver (13-1-4, 5-0-2 WAC) on Sunday, Oct. 28 at 12 p.m. for Senior Day at Championship Field. Busque, Norquist, Thomas, Chelsea Jennings (Tacoma, Wash.), Renee Vandermause (Madison, Wisc.), Liana Heberer (Oceanside, Calif.), and Taylor Bolibol (Woodinville, Wash.) will play their final home game in Seattle U uniform. The men’s soccer team will host New Mexico in their Senior Day game 30 minutes after the end of the women’s game, at approximately 2:30 p.m. Senior Day presentations for the women’s team will begin at approximately 11:45 a.m.

Michael Roberts’ first collegiate goal stood up as the winner for Seattle U. (School file photo)

SEATTLE—The Seattle University men’s soccer team earned their first conference victory of the season thanks to Michael Roberts (Issaquah, Wash.), who headed in the go-ahead goal during the 64th minute for a 2-1 victory over Houston Baptist Friday at Championship Field in Seattle.

Roberts earned the go-ahead goal off a header in front of the Houston Baptist net 63 minutes into the match. Defender Chase Hanson (Kent, Wash.) began the scoring play by passing the ball wide to midfielder Marshall Kosaka (Burien, Wash.). Kosaka then swung the ball in front of Roberts, who headed it into the far post for his first collegiate goal.

“The second goal we scored goes in anywhere in the world,” said SU head coach Peter Fewing. “Marshall served a great cross in and Mike did a great job getting the ball on frame.”

The first half ended at a 0-0 tie, with each team taking five shots during the half. Houston Baptist’s Kristopher Tyrpak tallied the game’s first shot just 44 seconds into the game, but the SU defense blocked it from heading on frame. Seattle U’s first shot was taken by forward Hamza Haddadi (Shoreline, Wash.), but that shot was also blocked.

Seattle U goalie Jake Feener (Rocklin, Calif.) made two saves in the first half. In the 13th minute he stopped a header by Tyrpak, and just two and a half minutes before halftime he turned away an attempt by the Huskies’ Kyle Herbison to preserve the tie going into halftime.

The Redhawks opened scoring 10 minutes into the second half when Gonzalez was pulled down about 10 yards into the penalty box to draw a penalty kick. Gonzalez took the penalty attempt himself, which he calmly finished into the back of the net for his fourth goal of the year.

The Huskies evened the game three minutes later off a free kick 30 yards out. Mark Gendi passed the free kick to Zach Pierce, who rolled to his left and fired a shot into the far post and past Feener’s outstretched hands to deadlock the game at one apiece.

Eight minutes later, Roberts gave the Redhawks the 2-1 lead with his header, and it was up to the defense to preserve the lead. The Huskies tallied four shots in the final 25 minutes, the most dangerous one an attempt by Pierce that cleared the crossbar by just a few feet in the 80th minute.

“It’s a good win, I’m pleased for the team, it’s been a long time coming. We just have to take it one game at a time and hopefully when New Mexico comes in we’ll raise our effort again,” said Fewing.

With the victory, the Redhawks go to 3-11-1 on the year and 1-6-1 in the MPSF while the Huskies fall to 4-82, 2-4-2 in the conference. Feener earned the victory, needing only his two first-half saves to hold the Huskies to one goal, while HBU’s keeper Zach Harwerth got the loss, making one save in the process.

Gonzalez led the Redhawks in shots, taking four throughout the contest, one of which was on frame. Tyrpak led Houston Baptist in shots, also taking four with one of them being on target.

The Seattle U concludes its home campaign Sunday, October 28 with a match against #10 New Mexico. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. at Championship Field, but be sure to arrive early as the squad’s seniors will be honored in a Senior Day ceremony prior to kickoff.

The game will also be part of a Seattle U soccer doubleheader, as the SU women’s team takes on Denver at 12:00 p.m.

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