Saints no longer kicked around

By Gail Wood | The Olympian • Published October 07, 2009

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They were supposed to be even better than a bye week.

Playing Saint Martin’s meant getting in a soccer game and grabbing a win. Guaranteed.

That’s the presumed role of fledgling programs such as the SMU women’s and men’s soccer teams, in their third season.

Winning was in coach Rob Walker’s forecast. At least, eventually.

But Saint Martin’s, the smallest school and the newest program in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, got a pair of statement wins in the past week.

The SMU men defeated nationally ranked Seattle Pacific, 3-2, winning on Victor Kelmel’s goal off a corner kick midway through the second half after trailing 2-0 Thursday.

The SMU women upset Western Washington, 2-1, on Jenny Baker’s goal late in the second half Sunday, snapping Western’s 27-game unbeaten streak.

The win moves the SMU men into a first-place tie.

“We always go into a game expecting to win,” Walker said.

Hoping to win and expecting to win are two different mindsets. Somehow, SMU, a combined 15-10 for its men’s and women’s teams this season, has figured out how to win in its third season. The Saints men went 3-16 in their first season and 6-11-1 last year. Now, they’re 8-5 overall and 3-1 in conference, picking up nearly as many wins as in their first two years. “The win against SPU was big because they were nationally ranked,” Walker said.

SMU’s women went 2-17-1 and 6-11-2 in their first two seasons. After upsetting Western, the Saints are 7-5.

Like skid marks at an accident scene, SMU has left its mark on GNAC opponents, leaving teams such as SPU in an unexpected heap. SPU, which was 6-0-3 and ranked in the top 25 for the first time in two years, led 2-0 19 minutes into the match. But SMU answered with two quick goals in 13 minutes .

SPU, ranked No. 24, outshot the Saints, 21-13, and had a 10-5 edge in shots on goal. But Saints goalkeeper Zac Luben had eight saves to keep the game close.

“His save on a free kick in the closing against SPU saved our bacon,” Walker said. “That would have put it into overtime. We were just holding on.”

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