By: Evan O'Kelly, Associate Commissioner for Communications

INDIANAPOLIS – The two Great Northwest Athletic Conference women’s soccer teams fresh off a championship match battle each punched their ticket into the 2024 NCAA West Region Championships, as Simon Fraser and Western Washington claimed spots with the field being announced on Monday.
 
The Red Leafs (14-3-3) won the 2024 GNAC Women’s Soccer Championships on Saturday in Seattle, posting a pair of shutouts in last week’s event to earn GNAC Team of the Week honors for the second time this fall. The Vikings (13-3-5) won their 10th GNAC regular-season title by going 11-0-3 in league play and collecting 36 points in the standings. WWU returns to the NCAA tournament for the first time since winning it all in a memorable 2022 campaign. The two-time national champions, who also won it all in 2016, are making their 13th overall NCAA Championships appearance.
 
SFU earned the No. 7 seed and will square off against No. 2 seed and reigning Division II national champion Point Loma (15-2-1) in the opening round. Unbeaten in their last eight matches, the Red Leafs will play at the Sea Lions in a match that kicks off at 1 p.m. (Pacific) on Thursday afternoon.
 
WWU claimed the No. 5 seed and will face No. 4 seed Azusa Pacific (12-3-1) in its first-round match. That match, in Pomona, Calif., is set for a 1 p.m. (Pacific) kickoff. Winners of the four regions will advance to the NCAA Division II Women’s Soccer Championships, set for Dec. 13-15 in Matthews, N.C.
 
Red Leafs Named GNAC Team of the Week
 
After claiming its first-ever GNAC Championships title in 2023, the Red Leafs secured their bid to repeat by going 8-3-3 in conference play and earning 27 points to tie for second place in the GNAC standings. SFU opened the conference tournament by dispatching host Seattle Pacific in a 2-0 shutout last Thursday, setting up a rematch of last year’s title tilt against the top-seeded Western Washington Vikings.
 
The Red Leafs once again relied on their defense and used a goal early in the second half from GNAC Championships MVP Kiera Scott to claim a 1-0 victory to successfully defend their title. The tournament win also secured the GNAC’s automatic NCAA berth for SFU.
 
Scott also scored both goals in SFU’s win over Seattle Pacific, becoming the second straight Red Leaf to garner tournament MVP honors after Raegan Mackenzie took home the honor in 2023. Alyssa Clark had all three assists on Scott’s scores, playing a key role in the midfield for SFU.
 
The Red Leafs’ tournament victory came thanks in large part to a back line that drew 11 total offside and goalkeeper Sarah Loewen, who earned all-tournament honors after racking up 15 saves across the contests. Emily Smith, the GNAC Defensive Player of the Year, and Elyse Beaudry were also recognized on the all-tournament team from SFU’s back line. Senior captain Katie Richardson has played in all 20 matches and Kate Smith has seen time in 14 matches this season to bolster the defensive effort.
 
Alongside Clark in the midfield is GNAC co-Player of the Year Isabella Muzzolini, who led the team with 17 points on six goals and five assists. Senior Kate Cartier was a second-team all-GNAC pick and an all-tournament selection, and is the team’s active career leader with 14 goals since debuting in 2021.
 
Scott’s big week in the tournament upped her team-leading goal count to seven on the season, and she has added a pair of assists for 16 points. Freshman forward Dariella Lopez has put together a standout debut collegiate season, adding six goals and four assists for 16 points. SFU’s attack is bolstered by Sarah Caravatta (four goals, three assists), Mackenzie (four goals, one assist) and Kaiden Sherwood (three goals, two assists). Senior forward Mikayla Tupper and Clark are tied for the team lead with four assists apiece.
 
In its first-ever NCAA regional appearance last year, the Red Leafs lost a penalty-kick shootout in the opening round after drawing No. 3 seed Cal State Los Angeles in a match played at Interbay Stadium in Seattle.