Western Washington’s second-half double ends SPU women’s unbeaten streak

Rain City Sports editorial desk | October 23, 2026 | Game played October 22.

A scoreless first half could not hold

Seattle Pacific lost 2–0 to No. 8 Western Washington at Interbay Stadium on Thursday, conceding twice in less than three minutes after keeping the match level well into the second half. The Falcons fell to 9–4–2 overall and 6–3–2 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

Blake Francis scored at 67:13, and Mie Cairns added the second at 70:11. The loss ended SPU’s six-match unbeaten run. Goalkeeper Celia Ramos made eight saves, but the Falcons managed only one shot and none on target against the conference leader.

The deciding passages

Western Washington’s official account describes Francis scoring after a corner reached the six-yard area and Ramos punched the ball away. Francis controlled the loose ball and finished. The second goal followed a throw-in into the box, with Cairns volleying after a defensive header fell to her.

Analysis: both descriptions point toward what happened after the initial delivery rather than simply the delivery itself. Recovering shape and locating the next opponent become essential when a ball remains in the area. The accounts identify a specific area for review without establishing a single player as responsible for the entire defeat.

Ramos kept the score level through the first half and finished with eight stops over 90 minutes. Haley Teofilo recorded SPU’s only attempt at 8:25. Western Washington finished with 23 shots, 10 on target, and five corners; Seattle Pacific had no corners.

Where the Falcons stand

SPU remained third in the standings shown in Western Washington’s postgame report, on 20 points. Simon Fraser was second with 25 and Western Washington first with 31. The next opponent therefore brings another direct test against a team above the Falcons, rather than an easy reset.

Before the match, coach Arby Busey’s October 19 comments framed the weekend against the conference’s top two teams as an opportunity to measure SPU’s progress. The Falcons had entered unbeaten in six, with four wins and two draws. Thursday interrupted that run and supplied a demanding comparison against the league leader.

What needs to improve

Analysis: the attacking numbers create the clearest priority. A side that produces no efforts on target leaves little opportunity to turn good goalkeeping into a result. Creating outlets, retaining possession after clearances and moving the ball into shooting positions should matter alongside the defensive corrections.

Analysis: it would be too narrow to reduce the defeat to the three-minute scoring window. Seattle Pacific remained level for more than an hour, but Western Washington accumulated far more attempts across the game. A response that addresses only the goals would overlook the sustained imbalance that made Ramos’s work so important.

The documented view

Western Washington coach Travis Connell said in his school’s report that his team improved as the match progressed and solved problems against SPU. That is an opponent coach’s assessment. Combined with Busey’s pregame emphasis on testing the Falcons’ level, it places the result within a competitive challenge rather than an invented story about confidence or morale.

The next opportunity

Seattle Pacific hosts Simon Fraser on Saturday, October 24, at 5 p.m. Pacific at Interbay. Analysis: the most useful early signs of improvement would be longer spells outside SPU’s defensive end and a credible threat on the opposing goal. Those changes would give the Falcons more ways to earn a result while reducing the burden on their goalkeeper. The unbeaten streak is over, but another consequential home match arrives immediately.

Sources

• Seattle Pacific Athletics: official Western Washington box score (checked 2026-10-23)
• Western Washington Athletics: match report and coaching comments (checked 2026-10-23)
• Seattle Pacific Athletics: October 19 weekly preview (checked 2026-10-23)
• Seattle Pacific Athletics: official women's soccer schedule (checked 2026-10-23)

Analysis and recommendations are the editorial desk’s interpretation. Reporting and attributed perspectives are linked above. Information is current as of the publication date.