BURNABY, B.C. – Just a few hours before Saturday's regular season finale, the SFU women's soccer team, by way of the Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks' 0-0 draw against the Western Oregon Wolves, had already locked in the fourth and final spot in the 2023 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Women's Soccer Championships.
 
However, nobody seemed to tell the Red Leafs (6-5-5, 5-5-4 GNAC) the pressure was off. SFU gave top-seeded Seattle Pacific (12-2-4, 9-0-5) – ranked 20th in the national coaches' poll – everything they could muster on Saturday, earning a 1-1 draw on the road at the Falcons' Interbay Stadium.
 
"I'm extremely proud of this group," said interim SFU head coach Carlo Basso. "SPU set the standard within the GNAC this season, and to perform the way we did tonight was special to watch.
 
"We have been talking a lot about process and learning every day. Today, we executed at a very high level and pushed a fantastic program until the very end. We are looking forward to the conference championships and another massive test for the group."
 
After several minutes of back-and-forth play, the hosts managed to draw first blood. Deep in SFU territory, Falcons midfielder Lauren Snedeker got to a loose ball and the junior hit a one-time shot that found its mark to make it 1-0 from about 10 yards out.
 
SFU came in waves over the final 20 minutes of the first half, firing 10 shots in the direction of Falcons goalkeeper Mercedes Cullen. Alyssa Clark (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) came within inches of equalizing in the 36th minute, hammering a ball off the crossbar.
 
SFU finally got the game back to level just seconds into the second half. After winning possession from SPU, Kiera Scott (Coquitlam, B.C.) passed the ball to Isabella Muzzolini (Maple Ridge, B.C.), who quickly found Mikayla Tupper with a clever pass. She combined with Sarah Caravatta (Coquitlam, B.C.) at the top of the box before smashing the ball in the top right corner. It was the third goal of the season for Tupper, who is from Langley, B.C.
 
The two sides traded chances in the latter stages of the contest, but neither could break through. Both Cullen and SFU's Sarah Loewen (Burnaby, B.C.) made key stops as the two sides settled for the 1-1 draw. Loewen finished the contest with five saves.
 
The GNAC Women's Soccer Championships are set to run from Thursday, November 9 to Saturday, November 11, and will be held at Tomlinson Stadium in Ellensburg, Washington.
 
Locking in the Red Leafs and Falcons to their fourth and first seeds, respectively, Saturday's contest served as a fun preview for next week's semifinal matchup. SPU and SFU will square off once more in the conference's opening round next Thursday, with the contest slated for a 7 p.m. start time. Tickets can be purchased at: https://www.gnacsports.com/gnac/tickets/

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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