SPU Falcons fall to MSUB in GNAC semifinals

TUKWILA, Wash. – Sophomore Jessie Mancilla netted her first collegiate goal in the 66th minute Thursday, lifting third-seeded Montana State Billings to a 1-0 victory over No. 2 seed Seattle Pacific in the semifinal round of the inaugural Great Northwest Athletic Conference Women’s Soccer Tournament at Starfire Stadium.

PHOTO GALLERY: match shots by Wilson Tsoi.

The Yellowjackets (13-5-1) advance to a championship-game meeting against top seed Western Washington on Saturday at 2 p.m. The Vikings (16-3-0) were 2-0 victors over Western Oregon in the other semifinal contest.

The Montana State Billings Yellowjackets celebrate upsetting the #22-ranked Seattle Pacific Falcons 1:0 on Thursday night at Starfire in the GNAC semifinals. (Wilson Tsoi)

Jaucelyn Richter initiated the scoring play with a hard shot from the left side of the box that caromed off the right post. Mancilla raced to theball and quickly deposited a seven-yard shot into the right side of the goal at 65:36.

“Give them all the credit in the world, they worked their butts off,” SPU coach Chuck Sekyra said of the Yellowjackets. “They defended very well and took a good goal from us. We had some chances, but we kind of let them stick around all night and that’s what happens.”

Mancilla’s goal came on one of only three second-half attempts forBillings, which was outshot 11-3 after halftime.

SPU’s Ali Martin had two quality scoring opportunities early in the second half. She received a cross from the left side and headed it just wide of the left post in the 49th minute.

Martin had another header to the left side in the 59th minute. This one was denied by a diving deflection from MSUB goalkeeper Aiko Johnson.

Natalie Harold stopped three shots for the 22nd-ranked Falcons (14-3-2), who had their nine-game winning streak snapped. They lost for thefirst time in the last 14 games.

Johnson made five saves for the Yellowjackets. They were outshot by a 16-12 margin for the game.

Each team had two near misses in the first half.

In the 12th minute, MSUB’s Heidi Greenback fired a 15-yard shot that required Harold to dive to her right for the save. Harold had another diving save in the 35th minute, deflecting Chelsea Shuman’s high attempt away from the left corner.

MSUB goal scorer Jessie Mancilla in action at Starfire. Her tally moved the Yellowjackets into the GNAC Final on Saturday. (Wilson Tsoi)

All three of Harold’s saves came during the first half SPU, which faced a 9-5 shot deficit before halftime.

Heather Young had a 16th-minute header off a corner kick travel just wide of the right post for the Falcons. Josie Graybeal sent a looping 35-yard shot toward the Yellowjackets goal, but it bounced off the crossbar.

“It was a tough night. I don’t know if we ever really stamped ourselves on this game as far as coming out and establishing ourselves,” Sekyra said. “We didn’t ever really get into a real rhythm.”

The SPU women will discover their postseason destiny on Monday when the 48-team NCAA Division II Tournament field is announced at 4:30 p.m. They are seeded No. 2 in the current West Region rankings and six teams will receive playoff berths.

SPU participated in the postseason in each of the last nine years.

NCAA WOMEN’S SOCCER
GNAC Tournament — Semifinal
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Starfire Stadium/Tukwila, Wash.

Montana State Billings 1, (#22) Seattle Pacific 0

Scoring – 1, MSUB, Jessie Mancilla (Jaucelyn Richter) 65:36.

Shots – MSUB 12, SPU 16.
Saves – MSUB 5 (Aiko Johnson), SPU 3 (Natalie Harold).
Corner kicks – MSUB 2, SPU 5.
Fouls – MSUB 7, SPU 3.
Offsides – MSUB 0, SPU 3.

Records:
Seattle Pacific 14-3-2
Montana State Billings 13-5-1

– www.spufalcons.com –

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