(Stephen Hinkel, Associate Sports Information Director at APU, contributed on this story) 

AZUSA, Calif. - The No. 6 seeded Point Loma women's soccer team fell 2-0 to No. 3 seeded Sonoma State in the first round of the NCAA West Regional on Thursday, Nov. 12.
 
The Seawolves (14-2-3) scored the only goal of the opening stanza in the 31st minute when Carolyn Greco played a ball from just inside the midfield stripe into the box. The Point Loma goalkeeper couldn't grab the ball and it slide past her and Melissa Lafranchi was on the back post to head it home. It was Lafranchi's second goal of the season

Point Loma (14-5-0) had an opportunity moments later when Rachel Witz had a nice strike on the ball after a corner kick but Sonoma State goalkeeper Ashley Luis came up with the save.
 
In the 59th minute the Seawolves made the score 2-0 when Bella Amyx beat Oriarte on the right side of the field inside the box. Her chipped shot crossed the goal line just before a Sea Lions defender could clear the ball. This was the first time all season the Sea Lions allowed more than one goal in a match. 
 
"They deserved it tonight," said Point Loma head coach Tim Hall. "I thought they were a little better than us. We had a couple errors in the back but I was really proud of the way our team fought back and never quit.
 
"Sonoma State had a little more on us tonight," added Hall. "They deserved it. Credit goes to their coach and their team."
 
Even facing the 0-2 deficit the Point Loma women's soccer team showed the toughness that characterized the squad entire season. They never once gave up over the final 30 minutes and continued to attack the SSU defense from all angles, coming within inches of scoring a couple of times. The most notable chances for the Sea Lions in the last 25 minutes came from Cori Deason, with an attempted bicycle kick just wide followed a few minutes later with a header that floated just over the crossbar.
 
Amanda Mitchell played a strong game off the bench. She had a number of runs down the side which led directly to scoring opportunities for the Sea Lions, which they were just unable to finish. The senior came close to scoring towards the end of the first half when she connected with a ball in the box after a corner. Her strong shot hit just on top of the crossbar and bounced out for a goal kick.
 
Sonoma State's keeper Ashley Luis earned the clean sheet this evening while making four saves. Ariel Oriarte had five saves for the Sea Lions.
 
The Sea Lions complete their season at 14-5-0. They earned the right to go to the NCAA West Regional for the second straight season after repeating as the PacWest Conference Champions and capturing the league's automatic bid.
 
"I'm very proud of that our team has grown to be a competitor," said Hall. "I think Point Loma is on the scene and we're going keep doing it. I feel that the future is bright for Point Loma and good days ahead, with all the good young players we have."
 
The NCAA West Regional will continue on Saturday Nov. 14 at 2:00 with No. 3 seeded Sonoma State facing No. 2 Azusa Pacific. In the northern part of the bracket Seattle Pacific will face Western Washington after the Falcons defeated UCSD 2-1 on Thursday.

Quotes from PLNU
Tim Hall on facing a similar style team: "Defensively we're both tough, they were a little quicker on the ball tonight than we were. They were good, a good team and at the end of the day I think the better team tonight won the game."
 
Amanda Mitchell on returning to NCAA Tournament: "It's kind of crazy because it all starts last spring just practicing hard and getting to know each other as players. We knew we we're going to have  large roster yea and just getting to  know the new girls there were so many of them and getting to welcome them into Point Loma and getting to show them what being on this team means. It was really fun and really cool, and I think that positivity is what carried us through this season."
 
Tara Kracy on the team and playing four years of PLNU soccer: "A big part of Point Loma soccer, especially around the girls and the coaches, is not just that you grow as a player on the field but that we grew as people and we grew as women of Christ. I think that aspect is what I'm going to miss most, and of course the soccer part. What makes Loma soccer so amazing is that each and every one of us can continue to grow in every aspect of our lives."
 
Amanda Mitchell on the team and playing four years of PLNU soccer: "It's weird knowing that soccer is done, but I've made sisters just like I have a family from this team. There's something so much bigger than just playing.  Even when seasons over we have each other and coaches who care about us as people, and that is the most awesome part."
 
Quotes from Sonoma State
Head Coach Emiria Salzmann Dunn on getting the early goal: "Any team at any given time wants to get that first goal to put your opponent on their heels. For us, it was really important because our last we allowed three goals and that rattled us a little bit. Mentally for us to see the ball in the opponents net was something of a monkey off our back. That early goal makes your opponent a bit more tense and cautious."