By: Evan O'Kelly, Associate Commissioner for Communications

SEATTLE – Two goals from Kiera Scott and seven saves by Sarah Loewen told the story on a rainy Thursday night at Interbay Stadium, as No. 3 seed Simon Fraser knocked off host No. 2 seed Seattle Pacific 2-0 in the semifinals of the 2024 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Women’s Soccer Championships.
 
The victory sends the reigning tournament champions back into the title match, where they’ll face top-seeded Western Washington in a rematch of the 2023 GNAC Championships. The Vikings, who defeated Western Oregon 3-1 earlier on Thursday evening, will seek to avenge last year’s 2-1 title game loss to SFU while the Red Leafs will seek to repeat after their first-ever GNAC trophy in 2023. “The feeling is irreplaceable, and it is such an honor every time we get this opportunity,” Loewen said on her team’s advancement to Saturday’s title match. “We have a great group and we are all so excited to be here, and there’s not a doubt in anyone’s mind that we deserve to be here.”
 
Simon Fraser improved to 13-3-3 overall on the season and extended its current unbeaten streak to seven matches with Thursday’s result. The team’s last defeat was a 1-0 decision at Western Washington on Oct. 19. SFU tied for second in the GNAC standings with 27 points, after going 8-3-3 in league play. “In terms of execution and the result, it was fantastic,” said SFU head coach Carlo Basso. “At halftime we knew that with their diamond in midfield they controlled central spaces, so we were making sure we stayed connected in terms of how we were going to press. Recognizing that there would be a moment we could get because they were chasing the game to finish it off was important as well. To win away from home, at SPU is not easy.”
 
Loewen’s first denial came less than 90 seconds into Thursday’s buzzing semifinal tilt, as a rocket of a shot off the boot of SPU’s first-team all-GNAC midfielder Lauren Snedeker tested the Red Leaf shot stopper earlier. In a sign of what was to come, Loewen smothered the strike to set the tone as SFU dealt with an SPU side that was ambitious from the opening whistle. “I have a lot of faith in my back line, and I trust them,” Loewen said. “We have some phenomenal people on our back line. Most of the work comes from their teamwork together, and they set the standard for us.”
 
Loewen had collected three saves by halftime – not included in those was a critical, leaping punch on a dangerous cross by SPU that was headed towards the back post amid a crowded goal box on a corner kick. Loewen, voted the first-team all-GNAC goalkeeper, went on to make four important stops in the second half to see out her seventh clean sheet of the season. “Sarah is about as steady as it gets,” Basso said. “The one thing that makes Sarah so unique is her ability to help us build out and maintain possession in moments when teams try to press us. She doesn’t get enough credit for her shot stopping and ability to control the game, and doing what goalkeepers are typically known for doing – keeping the ball out of the net. It was an elite performance today, but that is nothing new.”
 
 
The GNAC scoring leaders, with 38 goals this season, relied on Scott’s tact both on set pieces and in the run of play to capitalize on Thursday. Her opener came in the 21st minute, as she broke the 0-0 deadlock with a brilliantly redirected header that she pushed from the near post at the six-yard box inside the upper-left far post of the goal. She worked herself into a wide open position to create space for the finish on a corner-kick service from Alyssa Clark. “It’s something we practice all year round,” Scott said on her header finish. “In this league it is really tough, because every team is so good defensively. It felt pretty good to get on the end of that one.”
 
A weight was lifted from SFU’s shoulders with Scott’s second goal of the night, which came not more than 30 seconds after she subbed back onto the pitch in the 77th minute. Another pass from Clark, this time a searching through ball from the defensive third, played Scott into space down the left flank. After beating her defender into the box, Scott honed in on the target and beat a charging SPU goalkeeper Mercedes Cullen with a cleverly-weighted, right-footed shot that kissed the right goal post on its way into the net. “When I went back in I saw the clock at 15 minutes, and thought that I had to give it my all,” Scott said on her second strike. “I knew from the second I stepped onto the field I had to work my very hardest. When I saw the space, I just went for it.”
 
Simon Fraser was never in doubt from there on, confidently closing out the Falcons to punch its ticket back to the championship finals. “We always say if we are doing things right, somebody’s going to have a day, and today it was Kiera,” Basso said. “We have been counting on Kiera throughout the year to take responsibility in front of goal, because she really is so talented and such an elite finisher. For her to step up in two massive moments where we needed her – I’m proud of Kiera and I’m happy for her.”
 
Scott led all players with three attempts on the evening, having a go at a hat trick with a final shot that was knocked away by Cullen in the waning minutes. Midfielder Kate Cartier had a pair of shots and one on frame in a superb 90-minute effort in the midfield for the Red Leafs.
 
A back line that conceded just a dozen goals in its 19 matches entering Thursday’s playoff game shined bright under the lights as well. GNAC Defensive Player of the Year Emily Smith was outstanding in tandem with her sister Kate Smith in the middle, while captain Katie Richardson and outside back Elyse Beaudry were major contributors in the match.
 
Evidence of SFU’s calm defensive demeanor came midway through the second half with the Falcons trailing 1-0 and on the hunt for an equalizer. A long, searching pass targeted for GNAC co-Player of the Year Taylor Krueger sought to disrupt the cohesion of Emily Smith and Beaudry, who were converging on the sprinting Falcon attacker. An ounce of miscommunication between the Red Leaf defenders would have certainly resulted in a breakaway for the dangerous Krueger. Instead, Smith calmly laid back in recognition of Beaudry’s coverage, letting the ball fall to her teammate who shunned it safely towards the perimeter of the pitch.
 
The model of complementary defense was repeated time and time again by SFU throughout the match, as the Red Leafs patiently controlled the pace of the game and used Scott’s second strike as fuel to help see out the clean sheet. Loewen capped off her masterpiece with perhaps her best moment of the night with 11 minutes left on the clock. The Falcons pushed forward in desperation and found Landrey McCann with the ball at her foot in dangerous position from around 12 yards out. The defender smoked a shot from point blank range on the right side, but Loewen made a diving, reaction stop to thwart the threat.
 
Clark, who had five assists as a freshman in 2023, notched her first-career collegiate match with multiple assists to bring her season total to three with Thursday’s performance.
 
Thursday was just the second shutout loss of the season for the Falcons, who wrapped up their campaign with a record of 9-3-7 overall after tying for second in the GNAC standings at 7-1-6 in league play for 27 points. Maya Parman led the team with three shots, while Krueger, Kathryn Nyone and Kayla Wallace each had a pair of strikes. Cullen finished with two saves in the match.
 
GAME NOTES: The teams were even on the season at 1-1-1, with SPU winning the first meeting 3-2 and a 0-0 draw being the result in their second contest just one week ago…it was the second straight year SFU knocked SPU out of the GNAC Championships, after beating the Falcons 4-2 in the semifinals of the 2023 tournament in Ellensburg, Wash.