Soccer shocker in Seattle: Saint Martin’s snaps Seattle Pacific’s two-year unbeaten streak

They might be the second-worst scoring team in the conference, but the Saints might have just pulled off the season's biggest upset. 

A 90th-minute strike from midfielder Brianna Yamada was the difference as the #7 ranked Saint Martin’s University stunned the #2 seed and defending regular season champions Seattle Pacific University in a 2-1 win away from home at the Interbay Stadium in Seattle on October 26. This snapped the Falcons’ streak of 26 games without a loss, which started way back in 2022.  

Tied at 1-1 in the dying minutes of the match, Yamada scored her first goal of the season in the most crucial moment with a first-time right-footed strike off a loose ball from a free kick just at the edge of the penalty box to beat the Falcons keeper Mercedes Cullen, a few seconds before the final whistle was blown. 

Apart from giving the Falcons their first loss in more than two years, the Yamada winner also handed the Saints their first-ever win against the Seattle-based college soccer powerhouse. This was also just the second win of the season for the Saints. 

It was a deserved win for the resilient Saints, who kept the offense-oriented hosts silenced for the majority of the match. Flavia Burrell commanded her box, making nine saves from the ten shots on target from the Falcons. The only unsaved shot in goal led to the Falcons' tying goal in the second half.  

The defensive Saints frustrated the Falcons from the first minute. Rose Ivanis and Keilee Silva, the center-back partnership, contested all attacks and kept some shots out.

This confidence at the back led to some counterattack attempts from Ravyn Mummey and Hinata Kojima late in the opening half, but the game remained goalless at halftime. 

After 55 minutes of keeping the Falcon attack at bay, the Saints struck first as Eve Charles received a long pass from an Ivanis set piece and finished it with her first goal of the season, catching the league favorites off-guard. 

Finding themselves on the backfoot, the Falcons increased their attacking pressure, but the Saints never caved in. They almost pulled off what they had already done in the reverse fixture earlier in October, holding the Falcons to a goalless draw at home.  

With time expiring, the Falcons finally figured out the Saint's defense in the 87th minute, with Andie Buckley coming from the bench to score the precious equalizer.  

But little did they know that their celebrations would be cut short. Around two minutes after tying the scores at 1-1, a free kick was given to the Saints near the edge of the penalty box, and the rest was history. 

The unexpected Saints win brought shockwaves to the current rankings at the top. The Falcons are now tied with Simon Fraser at 19 points for the #2 seed but just led on goal difference for the crucial spot for the NCAA West Region qualifiers. Meanwhile, the Saints improved their record to two wins, two draws, and six defeats, which equates to eight points. 

Speaking of Simon Fraser, the Saints will face the Red Leafs this Thursday, October 31, as the Saint Martin’s heroines come back home. Kickoff is at 2:00 p.m.