Sept. 19, 2008

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - In a match-up that in all probability will have league title implications, Western Washington University entertains Seattle Pacific University in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's soccer game featuring two nationally ranked teams Saturday (7 p.m.) at Orca Field on the Whatcom CC campus.

The Vikings, listed No.22 in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America/NCAA Division II Coaches Top 25, are 5-2-0 overall and 1-0-0 conference. The game is the league opener for Seattle Pacific, rated No.4 nationally and 6-0-1 overall. The Falcons have won six straight since a season-opening tie.

Earlier this season, Western blanked No.13 Cal State Dominguez Hills, 2-0. It took the Falcons overtime to get past CSUDH, 3-2.

Both teams were 1-0 victors over San Francisco State, but Seattle Pacific won 3-0 over Chico State, while the Vikings lost 2-1.

Seattle Pacific is the defending GNAC champion and has won five of the last six league titles, posting a 62-6-4 record over that span. Last year, the Falcons reached the national semifinals, finishing 14-0-0 in league play and 23-1-0 overall.

Claire Morgan (So., Bellingham) leads Western with five goals, all of them in the last four games. Emily Frankland (So., Sammamish/Skyline) had two goals and a team-leading three assists.

Goalkeeper Kylie Broadbent (Sr., Spokane/Lewis & Clark) has helped the Vikings to a 0.85 goals against average and three shutouts.

Seattle Pacific has won the last three series meetings and holds a 12-1-1 advantage overall.

The Falcons are paced by Meredith Teague, who has scored two goals in each of the last two games and tops the team with five assists. Amanda Johnson is tied for the team lead in goals at four with Teague and has three assists.

Maddie Dickinson and Jesslyn Rahm have shared time in goal for Seattle Pacific. Dickinson has not given up a goal in posting three shutouts, and Rahm has a 0.68 goals against average in four games.