MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Western Oregon soccer team defeated Seattle Pacific for the first time in 17 years on Saturday afternoon, earning a 2-0 statement win over the Falcons at WOU Soccer Field.
 
The win also represented the first Great Northwest Athletic Conference victory of the year for Western Oregon (4-3-2, 1-1-1 GNAC) who utilized a rapid spurt of scoring early in the second half to pick up their first win over Seattle Pacific (5-5, 3-1 GNAC) since 2002 and put the Falcons in the loss column for the first time in conference play this season.
 
"We've been ready to show what we can do in this conference," said senior Isabelle Creighton. "We were very motivated entering this game knowing how Seattle Pacific has performed so far this season."
 
After out-shooting SPU 6-3, WOU settled for a 0-0 tie going into the half. The second half was young, however, when Western's scoring broke out. The first goal of the game came five minutes into the period when Creighton had her shot deflected off SPU goalie Riley Travis. Alyssa Tomasini was ready for the rebound and the game's initial goal, finding the back of the net at the 50-minute mark. For Tomasini, it was her fifth goal of the season, bringing her to 12 points on the year.
 
Less than three minutes later, Creighton made it a 2-0 Wolves advantage with a laser from the top of the box, assisted by Kaili Brundage. It was Brundage's first assist this season and her first points since Sept. 6. For Creighton, it was her second three-point game of the season after recording a goal and an assist in the season-opener.
 
"We knew our attacking half was faster than their defense so one of the keys we focused in on was being able to beat them with that speed," added Creighton. "We knew if we were calm and placed our passes, things could go our way."
 
"I'm extremely proud of our team today," said first-year head coach Kacey Bingham. "A huge congratulations to our seniors who have never beat SPU before. They have been the core on our team and were instrumental in the win today."
 
For Bingham, it was her first conference win at the helm of the Wolves, making it one to remember at the start of her tenure.
 
Alex Qualls totaled four saves in the shutout effort, her second shutout performance of the season. She would face 10 total shots in the game and has faced 10 or more total shots in three of her last four starts.
 
Western Oregon's last win over SPU came on Sept. 14, 2002, by a 3-1 margin, ending a run of 31 straight meetings without a win for the Wolves and an 11-game losing streak. It additionally matched Western's largest victory ever against Seattle Pacific.
 
"We stuck to our game plan," added Bingham. "Our focus this week has been on execution. This team continues to push themselves every week."
 
The win kept WOU perfect on their home field, moving to 3-0 in Monmouth this year.
 
The Wolves remain at home next week as they continue their run of five consecutive home games. They will play host to in-state rival Concordia Thursday, Oct. 10, at 3 p.m. before a 1 p.m. meeting Saturday, Oct. 12, with Western Washington.