By: Evan O'Kelly, Associate Commissioner for Communications

SEATTLE – The biggest performance of Celia Ramos’ debut collegiate season came under the lights at Interbay Stadium on Thursday, as she made a pair of saves in a penalty-kick shootout to send No. 3 seed Seattle Pacific past No. 2 seed Simon Fraser after a 0-0 double-overtime draw.
 
Ramos denied Dariella Lopez on SFU’s third attempt and Sofia Faremo on its fifth attempt, which proved to be enough for the triumph. The Falcons converted 4 of 5 shots from the spot, with Maddie Cooke, Andie Buckley, Logann Dukes and Haley Teofilo striking the back of the net. Teofilo’s goal on the fifth attempt prompted a celebratory mob of Falcons as it ended the shootout.
 
“I have experienced plenty of shootouts in club soccer growing up, but I felt like this one was a little more meaningful,” Ramos said after the match. “I wanted to play for my team and for my seniors, so I just made sure to focus up and think about the people who are on the sideline, lining up on the halfway line and supporting me. I always trust my gut and try to read their run-ups.”
 
 
“It’s awesome. This is what college soccer is all about,” said SPU head coach Arby Busey. “We have been in some epic ones in the past for sure, but this is an all-timer. To get a shutout against a group that is that high-powered attacking wise – we worked our socks off to try to keep them out of the net. That’s a testament to the hard work of the women I get to coach every day.”
 
Seattle Pacific found itself on the front foot to close the first half, creating the best two looks of the contest up to that point in the final 10 minutes. A loose ball inside the goal box found its way to the foot of Cooke, who rifled a powerful shot towards the upper corner of the net.
 
The shootout came after a thrilling, back-and-forth 110 minutes of action, as both teams came inches away from scoring during the run of play. Ramos had two of her best saves of the game in the closing seconds of double overtime. GNAC Player of the Year Kiera Scott landed the final of her four shots in the match on frame to prompt a diving denial by Ramos to her left. Just 40 seconds later, Lopez had one of the best chances of the night from point-blank range but once again Ramos was there to turn the attempt away. “With how intense the match was, to be able to send my team into a shootout with a shutout like that – it feels amazing,” Ramos said.
 
The Falcons, who lost to Simon Fraser 5-0 and 3-0 during the regular season, moved to 11-5-3 on the season and booked their ticket to Saturday’s championship final. They will face the top-seeded Western Washington Vikings (15-2-1) with kickoff set for 11 a.m. (Pacific) at Interbay Stadium. Western Washington emerged with a 1-0 win over fourth-seeded Central Washington in Thursday’s first semifinal. “The past few games against Simon Fraser haven’t exactly gone our way, but we all know in those games we had momentum at times and had belief in each other that we could beat this team,” Buckley said on her side’s triumph over SFU. “It was getting momentum off every little ball we win and having full belief in every person on the team that we could get this win today.”
 
SFU moved to 13-3-3 after the draw, and maintains a strong chance to receive an at-large berth into next week’s NCAA West Region Championships. The Red Leafs entered the week ranked fourth in the region with the top-six teams at the conclusion of conference tournament play earning spots in the regionals. Freshman goalkeeper Sofia Piperni made six saves on the evening, including a pair of top-notch stops just before halftime to help complete her ninth shutout of the year.
 
The Falcons got off to a solid start, defending well against five first-half corner kicks by the Red Leafs and maintaining even possession across the first 45 minutes.
 
With 10 minutes before the break, Piperni made a fully-extended, diving save to tip the ball just over the crossbar and deny the Falcons the lead. The SFU goalkeeper came through again with less than 10 seconds to go before halftime with another top-shelf save. SPU’s Nora Patterson found herself open with the ball inside the six-yard box, and got her attempt on frame. Piperni charged forward and made another diving deflection to once again deny the Falcons the advantage.
 
The biggest chances of the second half belonged to the Red Leafs, who twice came inches away from taking the lead. Forward Sarah Caravatta emerged on a long run down the right side, worked her way into the box and blasted a shot that clipped the bottom of the crossbar near the corner. The carom fell favorably to Scott, whose follow-up strike rattled off the center of the crossbar as the Falcons dodged two bullets.
 
It proved to be the two closest attempts on a night where SFU out-shot SPU 29-14 but managed to place just six of its attempts on frame. The Falcons by contrast landed eight of their 14 shots on target. SPU’s center back tandem of Dukes and freshman Piper Paslay was exceptional throughout the match, winning numerous challenges and keeping organization across the back line. “Having them right behind me is awesome – they just go up and win every ball,” Buckley said on her side’s center backs. “I have been playing with Logann since high school, so we have that chemistry back there.”
 
For SFU, defenders Kate Smith, Emi MacAdam and Abbey Simpson each played the full 110 minutes and were equally impactful in limiting the Falcons’ dangerous chances. “It’s a testament to what Carlo (Basso) has done with that program – what they asked of us tonight was to empty everything,” Busey said, giving credit to the Red Leafs. “That’s what it took to get into a shootout and to beat those guys. We love playing Simon Fraser – they play in a manner that is respectful to the game, and it took everything we had tonight to extend it out.”
 
GAME NOTES: It marked the fourth penalty-kick shootout in GNAC Championships history and the first in the semifinal round…SPU is now 3-0 all-time in shootouts at the conference tournament…SPU is in search of its fourth conference tournament trophy and is now 7-8-3 all-time in the conference tournament…SFU holds a 2-1-1 edge in the four GNAC Championships meetings between the sides…it was the sixth all-time tie between the programs, with SPU winning 21 matches and SFU collecting three wins prior to Thursday night.