BURNABY, B.C. – Junior Kate Cartier (Kelowna, B.C.) notched her team-leading fifth goal of the season, but that wasn't enough on Saturday afternoon, as the SFU Red Leafs (5-5-4, 4-5-3 GNAC) fell 3-1 to the visiting Western Oregon Wolves (8-4-4, 5-4-3 GNAC).
 
The teams entered the Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's soccer game in the SFU Stadium at Terry Fox Field tied for third place in the league standings. With the win, the Wolves now hold third by themselves with 18 points. The Red Leafs are in fourth with 15 points, one ahead of Montana State Billings. The Yellowjackets have a game in hand, which will be played Monday on a neutral field in Rexburg, Idaho, against Northwest Nazarene (Idaho).
 
On Saturday in Burnaby, B.C., Western Oregon got on the board off a set piece just three minutes into the contest. From near midfield, Olivia Johnsrud put a high-arcing ball in towards SFU goalkeeper Sarah Loewen (Burnaby, B.C.). As Loewen came off her line to cut off the attempt, Wolves defender Jenna Efraimson beat her to the bouncing ball, putting the header into the Red Leafs cage.
 
Efraimson set up the second WOU marker with less than 10 minutes to go in the first half. Off another set piece, the senior took the ball on the left flank before putting a cross into a crowded SFU box. Haley King was in perfect place for the Wolves, putting the one-touch attempt into the net.
 

SFU's goal came on the tail end of a wild sequence. Ten minutes into the second half, Cartier came charging upfield and was nearing the Wolves' 18-yard box when she was upended by a WOU defender. The loose ball immediately found the foot of junior Katie Richardson (Ottawa), who belted a shot into the top right corner for what seemed like the first goal for the Red Leafs.
 
However, the celebration was cut short - the referee had blown the whistle on the foul just outside penalty area, negating Richardson's strike. Cartier took the free kick herself – with freshman Alyssa Clark (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) approaching the ball first as a distraction, Cartier followed up with a low bullet that beat both the wall and Darien Walton clean.
 
However, that's as close as SFU came in the contest, as Lauren Rose notched the insurance marker for the Wolves in the 75th minute to give them the 3-1 win.
 

The Red Leafs will look to earn their place in the 2023 GNAC Championships in the final week of regular season play, as they host Montana State Billings at 6 p.m. on Thursday, November 2 at the SFU Stadium at Terry Fox Field.
 
Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/senior-night-sfu-womens-soccer-vs-montana-state-billings-university-tickets-680318850997
 
Then, to cap off the GNAC campaign, SFU will head south to take on the Seattle Pacific Falcons at 5 p.m. on Saturday, November 5.
 
For the latest information on SFU Athletics, visit athletics.sfu.ca. You can also find us on social media at @SFU_Athletics.

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