George Czarnowski scores the tying goal with 1:40 left and Arne Klubberud gets the game-winner seven minutes into overtime as Seattle University seals its first trip to a national tournament with a 3-2 NAIA regional championship win over Simon Fraser in Salem, Ore. The Chieftains win their 11th in a row by defeating the five-time national champion Clan for just the third time in 30 years.

Tom Bialek ties the club record of four goals and the undefeated (6-0) Seattle SeaDogs beat the rival Portland Pride for the fourth straight time, 8-5 in the Key Arena opener. Five goals come in a frantic fourth period in which both teams combine for 10. After Portland cuts the lead to 7-5, Dick McCormick puts the ball into an empty net.

Vincente Figueroa snaps a scoreless tie in the 70th minute with a deflating goal for Colorado, and the Sounders go on to sweep their opening A-League playoff series with a 2-0 win over the Foxes before a season-high crowd of 6,927 at Memorial Stadium. Esmundo Rodriguez adds an insurance goal just seconds before the final whistle for the Sounders. They had won Game 1, 3-0, in Denver two days earlier.

In his first game with the U.S. National Team in two years, Chris Henderson helps earn an important point in a scoreless draw at Mexico. Before a partisan crowd of 114,600 at Estadio Azteca, the Americans get their first result in a WCQ at Mexico in 11 tries. Henderson's tireless effort going both ways as an early second-half substitute helps compensate for playing shorthanded the final 58 minutes following Jeff Agoos's red card.

Soccer community makes difference in statewide Referendum 48 passing for new Seattle football and soccer stadium. The public will fund $300M with Paul Allen to cover the balance for the estimated $425M. Allen will also purchase the Seattle Seahawks from Ken Behring. The election was decided by 36,535 votes, (819,305-782,770), which is 51 percent to 49 percent.

Juan de la O of the Seattle SeaDogs is voted CISL Goalkeeper of the Year for the second consecutive season. De la O had a 21-7 regular season record and the top goals-against average, 4.45. He set nine SeaDogs records during the season.

After seeing limited action during the regular season, Joe Ascolese becomes the Spokane Shadow's unlikely star as the moon rises over Joe Albi Stadium. Ascolese, who scored the deciding shootout goal earlier in the afternoon against Bellingham, figures in both Shadow goals in a 2-0 win over Yakima in the Northwest Division final. A replacement for top scorer Zane Higgins, who suffered a broken leg in the semifinal, Ascolese crosses to Craig Waibel to open the scoring in the 49th minute. In the 77th, he is brought down in the box, resulting in Dave Berto's penalty kick.

Mount Vernon upsets previously perfect Lakeside, 1-0, for the girls' 3A crown at Federal Way. It is the Bulldogs’ (22-1-0) first state title and 22nd straight win. Ali Skjei scores in the 56th minute, and Kerie Hughes gets a clean sheet against the high-scoring and two-time defending champion Lions, unbeaten in 48 games. Nancy Mikacenic scored her 20th goal and had two assists in a 3-1 semifinal win over Mount Rainier.

Trisha Tateyama scores late and Carie Gerhaty makes eight saves to lead Seattle University past Willamette, 1-0, in an NAIA regional semifinal at Burnaby, B.C. Tateyama finds the winner in the 88th minute. It is Seattle U's first victory vs. Willamette this season after three losses. It's Gerhaty's 10th shutout.

Down 2-nil and battling 98-degree heat, the Sounders surge past host El Paso in the second half to win for the fourth time in five games. Mike Gailey's goal six minutes into overtime beats the Patriots, 3-2, and elevates Seattle to 18-8-0 with two games to go. David Hoggan ignites the comeback in the 51st minute, and newcomer Henry Gutierrez ties it four minutes later. Dusty Hudock makes nine saves.

Washington State Youth Soccer president Jim Hughes names Tony Screws as the organization's first executive director.

For the second year in row the Spokane Shadow season ends one step before the PDL national stage as the San Gabriel Valley Highlanders prevail, 1-0, before 1,875 at Joe Albi Stadium. A 73rd-minute penalty from Sarkis Banyan allows the older international cast of Highlanders to overcome a 19-9 shot advantage for young and local-based Spokane. Ryan Edwards and Jeff Rose hit the crossbar, and Dave Berto's drive goes off the left post.

A reduced-strength Sounders go out of the CONCACAF Champions Cup ignominiously with a 11-0 beating by Cruz Azul in Guatemala City. Seattle, which left its coach Neil Megson and five other top players at home or sent to the A-League All-Star Game, had earlier lost 2-0 to Comunicaciones and 4-1 to Necaxa.

Kennedy's return to the state AA tournament after a seven-year absence is punctuated by a shootout win over defending champion West Valley at Selah. Mark Desimone converts the Lancers' fifth attempt to clinch the title, 1-1 (5-4). Robert Vert's header puts Kennedy ahead late in the first half, but Jake Sagare’s 25th goal ties it at 71' for the previously perfect Rams.

Jennifer Martin is named the first varsity head coach for Eastern Washington's new program. Martin is a former player and assistant coach at Gonzaga.

Seattle Pacific's 600th varsity game is one unlike any other. When the officials fail to appear by 20 minutes after the scheduled kickoff between SPU and Denver's Regis, Falcons coach Cliff McCrath steps in as referee with the opposing coach's consent. SPU scores three times in first 15 minutes and goes on to win, 4-1, at Interbay. McCrath, also the NCAA rules editor, is replaced by the scheduled referee after 20 minutes.

John Olu Molomo’s hat trick enables Seattle sweep of Portland, 6-5. Dick McCormick ties it in the fourth quarter and 54 seconds later Olu Molomo beats two defenders to win it. The SeaDogs won the opener in Portland, 8-2.

FC Royals make another stellar run at nationals, taking third in the girls' U16 USYSA tournament by winning the consolation final in Phoenix. It comes a year after two Royals teams won national titles. FC Royals '80, together since 1992, was one of two Washington regional winners. Highline SA Eagles took the U15 girls, but there is no national tournament at that level.

Referendum Bill 48, requesting $300M in public funding for a football and soccer stadium on the site of the Kingdome, is set for a June 17 statewide vote. If successful, Paul Allen will buy the Seahawks and contribute the balance toward the $425M stadium featuring natural grass surface. Independent polling indicates the referendum has support of only 43 percent of voters.

Kasey Keller keeps a clean sheet as Leicester City claim their first cup in 33 years, defeating Middlesbrough, 1-0, in extra time of League Cup final replay at Hillsborough. Keller, in his first season with the Foxes, denies Boro’s Emerson late on to preserve result. The two sides initially played to a 1-1 draw at Wembley 10 days earlier, with Leicester's Emile Heskey forcing the replay by scoring in 118th minute.

For the third time in four seasons a Sounder earns A-League Goalkeeper of the Year. Dusty Hudock wins the award after leading the league with 15 shutouts and a 0.67 GAA during the regular season. He is currently on loan to Columbus Crew. Marcus Hahnemann took the award in 1994 and 1995.

As many as 10 new soccer fields will be allowed on agricultural land in the Sammamish Valley by a land-use amendment approved by the Metropolitan King County Council. Northshore Youth Soccer Association contributed part of the $960,000 purchase price for the 18 acres targeted by the change and will begin to develop the tract for soccer fields as soon as weather permits.

Mike Enneking, 36, restarts his pro career after 10 years, joining the Sounders and coming off the bench vs. Vancouver. He last played semipro for the Seattle Storm in 1987 and professionally for the Tacoma Stars in 1985. Enneking had set state scoring records at Bellarmine in 1980 and graduated from Washington as career total points leader in 1983.

Kei Kinoshita comes on as Sounders first-half substitute vs. Colorado, becoming first Japanese player to play professionally for a U.S. team. Kinoshita, 25, had played for Vissel Kobe of the J League. He first became acquainted with Seattle when Vissel Kobe played the Sounders in a 1995 exhibition.

Nortac Junior Soccer Club begins bringing in former professional players such as Gary Heale, Tony Chursky, Mark Peterson and Tony Crudo as paid coaches. The concept causes a break between Nortac and the Tacoma-Pierce County Soccer Association.

Gonzaga gets goals four minutes apart from Jason Kuska and Jeff McAllister to beat Oregon State, 3-0, at Martin Field. Bouncing back from a 1-0 loss to Washington, the 19th-ranked Bulldogs (13-4-0) equal their program record for wins. McAllister's goal is his 19th, improving his previous GU record of 14 in 1996.

A gusher of four goals in six minutes highlights the SeaDogs' 9-2 home rout of Houston. John Olu Molomo scores four times in his third hat trick despite missing four games with a separated shoulder. He accounts for two of the four goal that put the SeaDogs up 4-1. It's Seattle's (12-5) fourth win by a margin of four or more goals.

Stan Thesenvitz's late goal forces overtime and Sean Cassidy delivers the vital winner for Seattle University in a 3-2 victory over William Carey College (Ms.) in an NAIA semifinal at Birmingham, Al. The Chieftains trail in the first half until Tom Hardy scores in the 33rd minute. After going behind in the 85th, they get a close-range equalizer from Thesenvitz with 2:30 to go in regulation. Cassidy finally puts SU over the top with a sudden-death winner 9:26 into the first extra period, his fourth goal of the postseason.

Dana Garner and Greg Brisbon each score two goals as 9th-ranked Seattle Pacific moves into the NCAA Division II quarterfinals for the seventh time in eight years with a 4-1 thumping of Fort Lewis (Co.) at Interbay Stadium. Garner scores on either side of halftime, and Brisbon gets his brace in the second half. Vadim Tolstolutsky assists on both Garner goals.

Julie Woodward, née Holmes, a two-time All-American for Seattle University, is named the Chieftains' new head coach. Woodward, who replaces Jennifer Kennedy, spent the past three seasons as assistant to former SU coach Betsy Duerksen at Montana.

Jana Wilson's brace and Jeanne Rein's goal and two assists pace Washington to its biggest margin of victory in a Pac-10 game, 7-0 over Oregon State at Husky Soccer Field. It's the Huskies largest overall margin since an 8-0 win over Gonzaga in 1994.

Richland's Liz Heaston, a junior and defender on Willamette's soccer team, accepts an invitation to join the Bearcats' football team as a placekicker. After playing a soccer game, she changes uniforms and minutes later converts the first of two extra points to become the first female to score in a college football game, before an overflow crowd vs. Linfield.

Gonzaga wins for the sixth time in the final seven regular season games, edging Portland, 2-1, at Martin Field. Matt Blasdel finds Mike Thompson for a 10-yard header at 36:20, and the Zags strike again just 44 seconds into the second half when Jason Kuska's deflects into the cage. When Santa Clara loses the following day, Gonzaga earns a share of its first West Coast Conference title.

Craig Waibel scores two goals as the Spokane Shadow clinch their second straight PDL Northwest Division title by drubbing Yakima, 5-1, before 1,616 at Joe Albi Stadium. Waibel puts the Shadow in front, 2-1, on a 25-yard blast just before halftime. In the first five minutes of the second period, Dave Berto and Ryan Edwards score. Berto then sends Waibel on a breakaway in the 84th minute.

After two seasons, the Everett BigFoot move south to become Puget Sound BigFoot, playing PDL home games in West Seattle and Bellevue.

Seattle Pacific hosts the inaugural match at Interbay Stadium, defeating Sonoma State, 3-2. The Falcons’ Vadim Tolstolutsky scores the stadium’s first goal in 7th minute. Geoff Martin and Dana Garner also score for SPU, which hadn’t played a home game within walking distance of campus since 1978 a Queen Anne Bowl.

Justi Baumgardt, 21, and a senior-to-be at Portland, comes off the bench to score in the U.S. National Team’s 3-1 win over Australia in Bathurst. It’s the first international goal for Baumgardt, who three days earlier returned to the team after a four-year absence.

Sandra Hunt becomes Washington's fifth U.S. Soccer national referee after completing her certification in St. Davis, Pa. Hunt, whose goal is to referee at the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup, joins Frank Gorog, Oscar Myre, Mo Sagakhaneh and Mohammad Zarrabi-Kashani.

Federal Way's Justi Baumgardt is named one of four finalists for the Missouri Athletic Club Sports Foundation collegiate soccer player of the year award. Baumgardt is the University Portland's career assist leader, No. 3 all-time scorer and a four-time All-West Coast Conference pick. North Carolina's Cindy Parlow is later named the award winner.

Morgan McCoy's goal 2:35 into overtime gives No. 6 Washington a 2-1 victory over No. 22 Stanford in a first-round NCAA tournament match at Husky Soccer Field. UW cannot pierce the Cardinal defense until the 68th minute, when Tim Lawson finds Jason Boyce at point-blank range. Stanford, one of two teams to defeat the Huskies in the regular season, ties it four minutes later through Simon Elliott. In overtime, McCoy is first from a group to reach a ball from Matt Annis. Stanford’s Defender Jamie Clark hit the crossbar just as the final whistle sounds.

Seattle University wins its first national championship, beating Rockhurst (Mo.), 2-1, in the NAIA final at Birmingham, Al. Less than 20 hours after advancing from the semifinals with an overtime victory, George Czarnowski’s 12-yard shot 17 minutes into overtime is the difference. Kurt Swanson opens the scoring for Seattle U in the 7th minute, and Jason Palmer makes 11 saves. The Chieftains finish on a 27-game unbeaten run, winning more games than any program in state annals (25-1-2).

Tim Lawson and Ian Russell each score and assist on each other's second-half goals in No. 4-ranked Washington's 3-1 victory over No. 12 Cal State Fullerton in the UW home opener at Husky Soccer Field. The Huskies remain undefeated at 5-0-2. Joe Franchino scores on a first-half rebound.

Hundreds of fans from around the state find their way across the Canadian border to cheer the U.S. Men's National Team to victory, 3-0 over Canada in the penultimate World Cup qualifying match at Burnaby's Swangard Stadium. The victory, combined with draws elsewhere in CONCACAF this day, clinch a berth in the 1998 World Cup in France. Roy Wegerle, who once played for the Tacoma Stars, scores two goals. U.S. fans are the most vocal among the capacity crowd of 8,420, including many Washington residents who join the Sam's Army supporters club for the afternoon.

Thirteen days before polls close on Referendum 48, Paul Allen's Football Northwest sponsors a showcase of what a new soccer and football stadium would offer. The Sounders face their first Major League Soccer opposition as the San Jose Clash visit Memorial Stadium for an exhibition. The Clash feature former Sounders midfielders Shawn Medved and Dominic Kinnear. Attendance is 6,601 for standouts include Sounders a match which ends 0-0, with Seattle taking the resulting shootout, 3-1.

Geoff Aunger strikes two minutes into overtime as the Sounders rally late to tie and beat host Milwaukee, 2-1, for their sixth straight outright win. The Rampage score in the eighth minute to break Dusty Hudock's 201-minute scoreless streak. Seattle trails 1-nil until Paul Gelvezon levels it in the 72nd minute. Aunger's seventh goal of the year comes off a chipped ball from David Hoggan. It's the start of six straight road games in three competitions over the next 16 days.

Meotis Erikson of Kennewick scores two goals, and No. 2 Notre Dame shells No. 6 Nebraska, 6-0, to reach the NCAA quarterfinals in South Bend, In. Erikson scores 22 goals and adds 12 assists during her freshman season to help the Irish reach the national semifinals.

Gonzaga beats Portland for only the second time, 2-1, at Martin Field on goals by Mike Thompson and Jason Kuska, to clinch a share of its first West Coast Conference championship. Playing in a steady rain before about 350 spectators, Thompson stakes the Zags to a lead in the 37th minute by heading home from 10 yards. Gonzaga scores again just 44 seconds into the second half when Kuska's shot bounces off the leg of Portland keeper Brian Casola and into the cage.

Dick McCormick and Jean Harbor score two goals apiece and Seattle finishes the postseason unblemished by beating the Houston Hotshots, 7-1, at the Summit to sweep the CISL Championship series. The SeaDogs, who had rallied to win Game 1 at home the night before, finish the playoffs 6-0 and 27-7 overall in their third season. McCormick got both of his goals in the first 22 minutes for a 3-1 halftime lead. Harbor makes it 4-1 80 seconds into the second half. Marcelo Fontana, Jason Dunn and Bill Crook score in the final frame. Finals MVP Juan de la O finishes with 15 saves.

Michelle French, 20, and a sophomore at Portland, earns her first U.S. National Team cap vs. England (6:0) on her collegiate home, Merlo Field.

Rees Bettinger puts Washington up early, then tacks on one of two late insurance goals in a 3-0 win over Seattle Pacific at Husky Soccer Field. Bettinger stakes UW to the lead in the 21st minute and it stays 1-nil until Ian Russell and Bettinger score in the final 2:33. It is Washington's biggest win margin in the series since 1978.

A total of 11 players from Washington are members of MLS teams to start the league's second season. Shawn Medved (San Jose), Peter Hattrup (Dallas), Chris Henderson (Colorado) and Darren Sawatzky (New England) see action in their teams' first matches.

Former Washington Governor Booth Gardner is named commissioner of the National Soccer Alliance, a proposed 8-team women's professional league scheduled to begin play in 1998. Thirteen members of U.S. Olympic team pledge to play, including Michelle Akers. However, the NSA requires U.S. Soccer approval.

Seattle Pacific and Seattle Parks break ground on $3.3 million, 900-seat Interbay Stadium. SPU pays for the construction and annual maintenance for 25 years and receives priority in scheduling games and training. The playing surface is a hybrid SportGrass.

Tom Bialek scores in his third straight game, and the Seattle SeaDogs emerge as the last undefeated team in the CISL following their 4-2 win over Anaheim at KeyArena. With top scorer John Olu Molomo out injured since June 28, Seattle (7-0) keeps winning, including five on the road to start the season. Seth Spidahl gets his first goal in three seasons and local products account for all four goals. Bruce Broughton and Jason Dunn get the others.

Jean Harbor of the SeaDogs scores two first-quarter goals and adds an assist to earn MVP honors while leading the West to a 6-5 win in the CISL All-Star Game at Sacramento. Fernando Clavijo of West-leading Seattle is the winning coach. Dick McCormick, John Olu Molomo and Juan de la O also represent the SeaDogs.

John Olu Molomo's hat trick capper with 3:17 remaining sends the Seattle SeaDogs onto the CISL semifinals with a 6-5 first-round playoff win at KeyArena. Seattle had swamped the Pride, 8-2, in the first game. The lead goes back and forth, but the SeaDogs come from behind in the final five minutes. While falling, Dick McCormick notches the tying goal on Jean Harbor's fourth assist. And 54 seconds after that, Molomo eludes two defenders before scoring his third.

Mary Etter makes two saves in the tiebreaker, enabling Snohomish to claim the state 4A crown over Mead, 1-1 (5-4) in Federal Way. In a battle of Panthers, Snohomish's Amy Auckland ties with three minutes remaining in regulation, just three minutes after Stacey Drollinger gave Mead the lead from 22 yards. George Fowler's three-decade run as Snohomish coach ends with the win. His 1984-85 team also won a title.

Third-ranked nationally, Eastlake boys complete a second straight season undefeated (17-0-0) by beating Ferris, 1-0, for the Class AAA championship in Selah. Mike Casale's cross caroms off a defender in the 56th minute. The Wolves outscored opponents 83-4, including a 7-1 trouncing of North Thurston in the semifinals. They feature three youth national team players: Nick Downing, Mike Casale and Matt Flynn.

Justin Stoddard, a 19-year-old rookie from Port Orchard, becomes the first teenager to score an A-League goal for the Sounders in a 2-0 win at New Orleans. Stoddard, a starter in eight of the first 10 games, earned his first assist on Chugger Adairs late winner at Nashville May 16.

Seattle University stuns defending NAIA champion and No. 1-ranked Simon Fraser, 1-0, at the Evergreen Invitational tournament in Olympia. Julie Manne scores the game's lone goal for the Lady Chieftains, who had been eliminated by the Clan in the district playoffs the past two seasons. Seattle U. starts the season by going 7-0-1 and reaching a No. 3 ranking.

Before a boisterous capacity crowd of 27,396 - the largest at Portland Civic Stadium in 20 years - Kasey Keller returns to the Northwest as captain of the U.S. National Team in a 1-0 World Cup qualifying win over Costa Rica. Keller's sixth shutout in qualifying action requires just three saves. Having played as a collegian at the University of Portland, the crowd doesn't surprise him. Former Tacoma Stars legend Preki substitutes in the second half and four minutes later helps set-up Tab Ramos for the game's lone goal.

Gonzaga’s Jeff McAllister leads the nation in scoring after scoring in a 2-1 West Conference opening loss to Loyola Marymount. McAllister totals 11 goals in eight games after which the Zags are 6-2-0. He scored four times in a 10-1 win over Evergreen Sept. 10.

Dave Berto and Zane Higgins each contribute a goal and assist to pace the Spokane Shadow to a 3-1 win over Bellingham at Joe Albi Stadium, running their record to 7-0-0 to start the PDL season. The Shadow returned home at 2 a.m. on game day after returning from a 2-1 win at Yakima.

Vancouver Indoor Sports Arena, doubling its number of players after one full season, is up to 190 teams with a waiting list and operating from 6 a.m. to past midnight on weekends.

Chris Henderson signs a four-year contract with Nottingham Forest of the England First Division, pending a British work permit. Henderson will remain with the Colorado Rapids, at least for the rest of the season. The British government allows for “exceptional talent” in determining work permits to non-citizens. Henderson has 73 appearances for the U.S. National Team and started the MLS All-Star Game eight days earlier.

Seattle's first competitive international match is a hastily-arranged Concacaf Champions Cup played in the rain at Federal Way. Four days after the details are fixed, the Sounders smash Suriname's S.V. Transvaal by 10-0 and advance to the tournament proper. Chugger Adair heads in two Geoff Aunger crosses in the first 15 minutes, and Mike Gailey's brace makes it 4-nil. Coach Neil Megson, seeing his first action since April, steals and goes solo for a 5-0 halftime lead. Transvaal, playing its first game on artificial turf, completely buckles in the final 20 minutes, allowing four more goals.

Seattle Christian claims the first Washington Interscholastic Activities Association-sponsored Class A-B state girls' tournament, beating Bellevue Christian, 4-0, in the final. It's the fifth straight state title for the Warriors, whose previous four Class A titles were unsanctioned. The WIAA is holding the tournament because 24 schools are now sponsoring the sport. Bellevue Christian had beaten and tied Seattle Christian earlier in the season.

Jason Palmer earns his record seventh straight shutout and 10th so far in Seattle University's 1-0 win at Pacific Lutheran. Kurt Swanson accounts for the only goal, heading in George Czarnowski's corner kick in the 33rd minute. Three days earlier, Czarnowski's goal with 12 seconds to go beat Simon Fraser, 1-0. The defensive scoreless streak reaches eight games with a 3-0 result at Willamette Oct. 25.

Seattle is one of 22 cities sent bid packages to host matches for the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup. However, the lack of a stadium with natural grass may make securing games unlikely. The new Mariners stadium will not open until mid-1999. Between five and eight stadiums will be chosen to host 32 games in the three-week tournament.

Kasey Keller is named US Soccer Athlete of the Year. His club, Leicester City, wins the League Cup and finishes ninth in the Premier League table after being promoted. Keller also posts three shutouts and two wins during World Cup qualifying.

A pair of Tom Hardy first-half goals send Seattle University on its way to a long sought-after win over crosstown rival Seattle Pacific, 3-0 at slippery East Field. SPU had won 23 straight meetings from 1979-95 before Seattle U earn a draw in 1996. Hardy's goals both came on headers, and Kurt Swanson tacked on the final marker.

Husky Soccer Field opens with the Washington women losing to Portland, 5-0. Two Washingtonians factored in the No. 3-ranked Pilots’ romp. Wynne McIntosh of Seattle and Roosevelt High, scores twice on assists from Federal Way’s Justi Baumgardt. The new facility is situated north of the core complex of the athletic department. Two fields, one for practice and one for competition, will be shared by the men's and women's programs. Bleachers for 1,800 eventually will be replaced by a stadium setup with permanent seating for about 3,500.

Bellevue Christian snaps Seattle Christian's 70-game unbeaten streak, 1-0, in the championship game of the Tournament of Champions at Juanita High School. The Warriors last lost in October 1992, 2-1 to North Mason. Becky Ylvisaker scores BC's lone goal and goalkeeper Catherine Kraayveld earns the shutout despite Seattle Christian outshooting BC, 27-3.

John Olu Molomo tallies four goals and adds two assists to power the Seattle SeaDogs to a 9-6 victory over the Anaheim Slash at Arrowhead Pond. Olu Molomo's offensive output sets a SeaDogs team record for total points in a game. Jean Harbor is right behind with three goals and an assist. All three Harbor goals come on power plays, equaling a CISL record. It's also the first Seattle (3-0) three-game win streak.

Three teams leave the CISL, forcing the league to fold and leaving the champion SeaDogs’ future uncertain. Seattle was coming off not only a championship but increased attendance (5,428) and merchandise sales.

The prospective new women’s professional league, the National Soccer Alliance, withdraws its application to U.S. Soccer after investors withdraw support. The NSA projected a 1998 inaugural season and had commitments from nearly all of the U.S. National Team's key players, including Michelle Akers, Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Carla Overbeck and Kristine Lilly. However, when U.S. Soccer failed to vote on sanctioning the league by Dec. 5, investors withdrew their backing.

Juan de la O and the SeaDogs post just the second shutout in the five-year history of the CISL in Seattle's 6-0 win over Sacramento at KeyArena. The Knights are held without shot on goal in first half (two were blocked). De la O had twice before held Sacramento scoreless into the fourth quarter. He needs to make just three saves. Braces from John Olu Molomo, Jean Harbor and Dick McCormick account for the scoring. Three days later the Seattle defense is honored as an entire unit as CISL player of the week.

Five WA natives play in Dallas-Colorado game at Cotton Bowl. Wade Webber starts, and Peter Hattrup is a substitute for the Burn while Chris Henderson starts, brother Sean Henderson plays a half and Marcus Hahnemann makes his debut for the Rapids.

Spokane Valley Junior Soccer Association organizes its players, parents and greater soccer community to help create the new youth sports complex at Plantes Ferry Park. Anyone 11 and older is asked tp help with trimming and loading branches from the former tree plantation. Most of the trees have been cleared, but some remain around what will be the concession and parking areas. The 35-acre complex will eventually include two softball fields, 14 soccer fields, a picnic area and possibly a playground.

Meotis Erikson, a senior forward and three-time state player of the year at Kamiakin High School in Kennewick, is named Player of the Year on Parade Magazine's All-America High School Girls Soccer Team. Erikson also helped FC Royals win the 1996 U17 national title. Tammy Westinghouse, a senior defender from Seattle's Lakeside, is also named to the team. Erikson, who will attend Notre Dame in the fall, scored 31 goals and had 12 assists for Kamaikin during the fall of 1996. She finished with 132 career goals and 49 assists.

Michelle Akers, after leading the USWNT to a historic gold medal in the first Olympic tournament for women, is voted Sports Star of the Year by a wide margin. She becomes only the second soccer winner and first female. Cliff McCrath won in 1986.

Two-time defending champion Seattle relinquishes its A-League throne but does not go quietly. Vancouver finally eliminates the Sounders in a shootout following and third and deciding mini-game, 1-1 (3-1), at Memorial Stadium. The 86ers had won Game 1 by 3-0, but the Sounders grind-out a shootout win, 0-0 (1-0), to start the night. Dusty Hudock makes six saves in the opening game and stops three attempts in the subsequent shootout. The Sounders allow just 23 goals in 27 regular season and playoff matches.After the visitors go ahead, Erik Storkson equalizes a minute left in the 30-minute mini-game, heading home a corner kick from Vincente Figueroa. Vancouver converts its first three attempts, and Esmundo Rodriguez's fourth-round shot is saved.

Some 15 hours after believing their season had ended, the Spokane Shadow are revived by virtue of a shootout replay against Bellingham. Nearly 500 fans watch the resumption of the shootout at high noon at Joe Albi Stadium. It lasts less than 10 minutes. As ordered by the USISL commissioner, it re-starts in tie sixth-round with the Shadow and Orcas tied 2-2 following a 4-4 regulation draw in the division semifinals. Joe Ascolese blasts through the legs of Bellingham keeper Travers Enslow, and then Spokane's Pete van de Ven foils Scot Swanson. The Shadow had rallied from 4-1 down the night before behind two Dave Berto goals. They will return to Albi six hours after the shootout to play Yakima for the division crown.

Jean Harbor’s hat trick helps Seattle beat Arizona on the road, 6-5, to clinch the CISL Western Division with four games remaining in the regular season.

Battling for a roster spot, Chris Henderson scores and assists in his first start for the U.S. National Team in 30 months, a 4-2 win over El Salvador to wrap-up World Cup qualifying in Foxborough, Mass. Henderson lays the ball back for Brian McBride's first-half goal and scores his third international goal and first since 1993 in the 49th.

Dick McCormick closes out his hat trick with the game-winning goal 18 seconds into sudden death overtime to propel the SeaDogs past the Portland Pride, 8-7, before over 9,000 at Memorial Coliseum. The win clinches Seattle's first playoff berth with six games still to go. John Olu Molomo has a goal and three assists for the SeaDogs, while Jean Harbor scores to keep his 22-game point scoring streak alive.

Jeff McAllister of Gonzaga is a unanimous pick for West Coast Conference player of the year and Einar Thorarinsson repeats as coach of the year. McAllister wins the offensive WCC triple crown by leading in goals (19), assists (8) and points (46) as the Bulldogs earn a share of the regular-season title with Santa Clara. However, the Zags are bypassed for an NCAA at-large tournament berth for a second year in a row.

A U.S. professional women’s league, the National Soccer Alliance, plans to begin play in 1998 in eight markets, including Seattle. Plans call for the yet-to-be-named team to play home games at Husky Soccer Stadium, which will be boosted to 4,000 capacity with 1,500 additional bleachers. Other cities awarded franchises were San Francisco/San Jose, Boston, Raleigh, N.C., Dallas, Los Angeles, New York/New Jersey and Washington, D.C. Former Gov. Booth Gardner is the NSA commissioner, and Shoreline’s Michelle Akers has committed to play. Player salaries are projected to range from $15,000-$30,000.

Gonzaga scores three times in a 9-minute stretch of the second half to down Western Washington, 3-0, at Martin Field. The victory enables the Bulldogs to complete the biggest reversal in WCC history, going from 1-16-3 in 1996 to, eventually, 8-12-0. In fact, it betters the seven total wins in Ric Grenell's first five seasons with the Zags. Betsy Platt, Megan Keaty and Sara Streufert all get goals between the 49th and 58th minutes.

Everett's Chris Henderson scores with three minutes remaining to give the Colorado Rapids a 2-1 victory over the Dallas Burn and a sweep of the best-of-three MLS Western Conference finals at Mile High Stadium in Denver. Henderson totals two goals and three assists as Colorado wins it first four playoff matches. Marcus Hahnemann makes three saves against the Burn, who feature Wade Webber. Sean Henderson got the game-winner vs. Dallas in Game 1 at the Cotton Bowl. The Rapids advance to face defending champion DC United.

Jason Boyce notches his second hat trick in three games for No. 8 Washington in a 3-0 victory over Santa Clara. Boyce had four goals vs. Evansville one week earlier.

Marcus Hahnemann starts and makes six saves for Colorado in MLS Cup final, a 2-1 loss to D.C. United. Brothers Chris and Sean Henderson also start for the Rapids.

Highline Community College women’s team features a mother-daughter combination on the roster. 48-year-old Jean Wilcoxen is a freshman sweeper and mother to two of her teammates, Tracy and Farah Wilcoxen. HCC coach Shari Anderson claims Jean is one of the fastest players on the team if not the league. She has been playing since age 24. "I love playing soccer with my mother," says Farah. "It's an experience I will never forget."

The Seattle SeaDogs come from behind and win the opening game of the CISL Championship series, 6-5 in overtime, over Houston Hotshots on John Olu Molomo's second-chance goal before 8,018 in KeyArena. After Houston went ahead 4-1 in the fourth quarter, Bill Crook, Gaston Pernia and Jean Harbor tie it up. It is the eightth straight win for Seattle dating back to the regular season.

A Dana Garner first-half hat trick helps SPU upset 19th-ranked Portland, 4-3, in the rain at Interbay. After the Pilots rallied to tie, Greg Brisbon’s second-half header from a Robbie Berg corner is the game-winner for the Falcons, 20th in Div. II. Freshman Josh Davis makes three saves for SPU in his first collegiate start.