Seattle's first hat trick in five years comes quickly. Cam Weaver scores all three of his goals in the first 35 minutes as the Sounders romp over Virginia Beach, 5-1, to snap a streak of three straight losses over five days back east. Maykel Galindo sets-up all three goals, beginning in the second minute, and adds his own score. It's the first Sounders hat trick since 2001, and Weaver brings his total to 18 goals. The match is moved from Qwest Field to Starfire Stadium to allow for the installation of grass for the Real Madrid friendly.

A season-high attendance of 10,200 – most wearing the yellow colors of the visitors – watches the Seattle Sounders friendly with one of Mexico's most popular sides, Club America, at Qwest Field. Following a scoreless first half, former Argentine international Claudio Lopez scores a penalty kick for the Liga MX 2005 Clausura winners in the 53rd minute and doubles it in the 81st. America plays with 10 men after Raul Alvin Mendoza is sent off for his second cautionable offense in the 26th minute. Luis Villegas sees red two minutes after coming on as an 87' substitute. Cuauhtémoc Blanco is injured and does not play.

In a matchup of first-timers for a state final, Woodinville finds the net. The Falcons' Jamie Lindstrom takes a long, looping ball from Libby Sorg to score in the 65th minute and defeat Stanwood, 1-0, at Lakewood. The Spartans' 23-goal scorer Lauren Hansen nearly scores in the 37th minute but Catrina Tadlock bats the ball down and pounces on it at the left post. Sully Hester gets his first title in 33 years as Woodinville coach.

Hope Solo and Tina Frimpong help hold China scoreless while Kristine Lilly's brace is the difference in the Four Nations Cup final. The U.S. National Team defeats the host team, 2-0, in Guangzhou. Frimpong, whose conversion from forward to central defense began in late 2005, starts all three tournament matches on the backline, alongside Spokane native Amy LePeilbet, and only one goal is conceded.

Scoring 19 seconds apart, Washington State upsets No. 18 California, 2-0, in Pullman, for the Cougars' first win over the Bears since 2002. Allison Scurich opens the scoring at 18:03 and at the 18:22 mark Kiersten Dallstream doubles the lead from 18 yards. WSU posts its fourth shutout in five Pac-10 matches.

Shannon Oakes, Sarah Martinez and Carolyn Nason each score as 6th-ranked Seattle Pacific stretches its GNAC unbeaten streak to 47 matches with a 3-0 win over Central Washington at Interbay. SPU has not lost a conference game since 2002, going 43-0-4. The Falcons have also won seven straight with Martinez contributing five goals during the run.

Former Sounders Brent Whitfield and Preston Burpo feature prominently in their return with Chivas USA for a friendly at Qwest Field. Whitfield scores the game's only goal shortly before halftime and Burpo keeps a clean sheet in goal for the 1-0 win before 5,633. It's a costly exhibition as Sounders forward Maykel Galindo collides with Burpo and suffers a fractured nose and skull, putting the Cuban out of action until July.

A 1-2 first-half punch from Katie Weber and Amanda Font sends Western Washington on its way to its first-ever win over Seattle Pacific, 2-1, at Bellingham. Weber’s seventh goal of the year in the 13th minute is followed 2:16 later by Font’s bomb from 25 yards. SPU, ranked 19th, pulls a goal back through Jeanne Webster shortly before halftime. However, the Falcons sustain the second consecutive loss for the first time since 2001, their inaugural season. Western, winning its sixth in seven games, had entered the night 0-9-1 in the series.

Six members of the Seattle Pacific men’s team are involved in a two-car collision in Phoenix and as a consequence the Falcons’ game with Hawaii Pacific is cancelled. A car traveling at a high rate of speed crashes into the driver’s side of the SUV carrying the SPU players, who were en route to a team meal. Two players are taken by ambulance to the hospital. Later, four players join them in the emergency room, complaining of head and abdominal pains. Although the injuries are not termed serious, two players require further observation and the last of the players is not discharged until less than two hours before the scheduled HPU kickoff. SPU would be without top scorers James Coggan and Michael Morris in 3-2 loss to Grand Canyon Oct. 10.

Kevin Forrest scores three times in Washington's NCAA tournament opener, a 3-0 home victory over 21st-ranked Creighton. Forrest breaks the game wide open just past the half-hour, first scoring from the penalty spot and then, 75 seconds later, rocketing a shot from 14 yards. In the 74th minute, the Pac-10 Player of the Year takes George John's feed to register his 16th goal of the year, the most by a UW player since 1989.

Peter Fewing, who guided Seattle University to a pair of national championships over 18 seasons, abruptly resigns following differences with athletic administrators. Under Fewing, 43, the Redhawks won the 1997 NAIA title and the 2004 NCAA Division II crown, after which he was voted NSCAA national coach of the year. Seattle U is exploring a move to Division I and is about to break ground on a $1.5 million renovation of Championship Field. Project co-chair Joe Zavaglia says $300,000 in promised contributions have been withdrawn in the wake of Fewing's departure.

Camas becomes the first boys' champion from the southwest corner of the state in 14 years with a 1-0 victory over Lakeside in the 3A final at Sumner. Billy Keyser is the game's lone goal scorer, steering Greg Beasley's errant shot into the net in the 14th minute. Papermakers defender Jason Martschinske makes four saves with hustling clearances, including a header off the goal line late in the first half. It's the 17th shutout for Camas (19-2-1), which won its first title. It's the only loss for Lakeside (15-1-4).

Washington junior Kevin Forrest of Edmonds is named the Pac-10 Player of the Year after leading the league in every offensive category, including points per game (1.59), goals (13), goals per game (0.76), and game-winning goals (eight). Forrest's 13 goals are the most for UW since 1998. He becomes the first Husky to win the Pac-10 award solely C.J. Klaas shared it in 2004.

Chris Henderson plays his final professional match, coming off the bench for the final 47 minutes in New York's 1-1 playoff draw with D.C. United. Henderson, 35, is the MLS career leader in matches played (317). The Everett native's 347 appearances is third on American soccer's all-time list consisting of first division league and playoff matches. He announces his retirement on Dec. 22, 2006.

Einar Thorarinsson earns his 100th win at Gonzaga when George Josten's brace beats St. Mary's away, 3-0. Thorarinsson is in his 12th season with the Bulldogs after winning 119 matches in nine years across town at Whitworth. Josten raises his total to 11 goals on the season.

After 10 seasons in the PDL, the Spokane Shadow ceases operations. Owner Brett Sports cites an unwillingness to play on the substandard artificial surface at Joe Albi Stadium. Four days later Spokane Public Schools and Mead School District announce plans to replace the turf but not until September. It proves a moot point because the USL immediately terminated the franchise. The team looked at various sites around Spokane, including Gonzaga University, Spokane Falls Community College, Central Valley High School and both the old and current University High School facilities, but said it could not find any that could serve as a new home field. The Shadow finished first or second in the PDL Northwest Division nine times, including league runner-up in 1999.

Leo Diaz scores from a near-impossible angle as time expires in overtime, giving Highland its first state title, 2-1, over Archbishop Murphy in the 2A final in Sumner. Near the goal line on the right edge of the penalty box, Diaz fires over the keeper and into the far side netting.

Washington's top two amateur women's teams are merging, with the Hibernian & Caledonian Saints and Seattle Sounders Women forming the Sounders Saints Women. The Saints, operated by Bobby Lane, won the 2003 U.S. Amateur Cup and Pacific Coast League titles under coach Teddy Mitalas. The Sounders Women, owned by Adrian Hanauer, finished as high as second in the W-League Western Conference since forming in 2000. Mitalas will coach the newly merged club.

Hope Solo earns the win as the United States, thanks to an extra-time goal from Kristine Lilly, wins the Concacaf Gold Cup final over Canada, 2-1, in Carson, Calif. Solo's most demanding save comes at the half-hour, tipping Melanie Booth’s 20-yard effort over the bar. Both teams already qualified for the FIFA World Cup with their respective semifinal wins. Going into a World Cup year, Solo completes the year with USWNT career-highs of 18 appearances and 14 victories.

Reading and Marcus Hahnemann secure promotion to the English Premier League by drawing, 1-1, at Leicester City. It marks the first time in the club's 135-year history that Reading has reached the country's top level.

Western Washington earns a berth in the NCAA Division II tournament for the first time. The Vikings are only three years removed from a 13-loss season in coach Travis Connell’s first season. With the second-most wins (14) in program history, Western is seeded No. 4 in the Far West.

Redmond's Crossfire Premier wins its first national title as the '91 girls win the USL Super Y League U14 championship game, 1-0, over North Carolina's CASL in Tampa. Maggie Graham scores the only goal of the contest, and Annelise Sittauer is named tournament MVP. Crossfire is coached by Peter Hattrup.

Kevin Forrest scores on a penalty kick in the 98th minute to lift Washington to a 2-1 overtime victory at Oregon State in the regular-season finale. Ty Harden gets the late equalizer in the 88th minute. Ely Allen is brought down to set up the penalty with 2-1/2 minutes remaining in the first overtime period. The Huskies win for the third time in four days to all but clinch an NCAA berth.

Mickey Pelland strikes from 30 yards late in the second half as No. 16 Seattle University beats No. 6 Seattle Pacific, 1-0, at Interbay Stadium. The Redhawks break a 47-game GNAC unbeaten streak for SPU. They were also the last league opponent to defeat the Falcons. Kaitlyn Jackson makes six second-half saves and eight altogether for the shutout. Pelland ends the scoreless deadlock in the 79th minute. It’s Pelland’s only goal of the season.

Three years after starting a varsity program solely with outside funding, Orting claims third place in the boys' 2A state tournament, defeating Cascade, 4-0. Cliff Fries started the team from scratch by staging numerous fundraisers. In 2004, the Cardinals defied odds by reaching the tournament. Now, with 11 seniors and fully-funded by the school district, Orting is on solid ground.

Northwest University wins its inaugural women's match, 3-0, over Nebraska's Doane College, at Starfire Stadium. Brittany Marshall contributes a goal and assist for the Eagles. Katie Ellis and Kendice Ricci also score.

Paolo Mottola resigns as Evergreen State College women's coach after 15 games (6-9-0), citing personal issues. Evergreen defeats Warner Pacific, 6-0, and afterward Mottola, hired in July, tells team and athletic director he is leaving. Assistant coach Luise Frank serves out the remaining games as interim coach, and the Geoducks finish 8-13-0.

Eighteen immigrant high-school boys who attend a special public school to learn English are excelling with their feet as a soccer team this spring. The students attend the Secondary Bilingual Orientation Center (BOC) on Seattle's Queen Anne Hill and are coached by Juan Carlos Torres, an instructional assistant at the school. The first-year team is 4-1-2 playing a schedule against high-school junior varsity and "C" teams.

Paul Holocher is named Cal Poly's new head coach after seven seasons at Division III UC Santa Cruz. While part-time at UCSC Holocher guided the Banana Slugs to a 109-24-8 record and a national championship game appearance while also directing several youth club programs in the surrounding county.

Olympia's Kasey Keller makes his debut as Borussia Moenchengladbach captain and also collects the clean sheet in a 2-0, season-opening win over Energie Cottbus. Keller is starting his third season with Gladbach and it's the first full-time captaincy of his career, having been selected by his teammates.

Ely Allen and midfielder George John put Washington ahead early and the Huskies proceed to upset No. 10 UCLA, 2-0, before 2,303 fans at Montlake. The Bruins had been unbeaten in six. Allen connects on a penalty kick in the sixth minute, and John scores his fourth goal of the season in the 18th minute. Redshirt freshman Rylan Hawkins, makes five saves, including a penalty attempt in the 84th minute.

It's the fifth consecutive Northwest Conference women's championship for Puget Sound after beating George Fox, 1-0, on the road. The 15th-ranked Loggers claim their 10th win in a row. Kallie Wolfer posts the shutout, and Adrienne Folsom finds the game's only goal, and her 19th, in the 73rd minute. UPS hosts the NCAA regional at East Athletic Field but falls in its opener, 2-2 (6-5), to Hardin Simmons.

Issaquah reclaims the 3A girls state crown by stunning Seattle Prep with bang-bang goals in the opening minutes of a 4-1 victory at Lakewood. Lauren Maris hits the Panthers in the first minute, and Elissa King makes it 2-nil in the third. Youth international Kate Deines, who missed the 2005 final loss, gets a goal early in the second half along with Ali Leale. Prep, reaching a final for the first time since 1991, averts a shutout with a late goal from Rachelle Ollee. Issaquah finishes undefeated (19-0-2).

Immigrants from the little-known nation of Eritrea - bordered by Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia - begin their Eritrean Sports Federation North American Championships in King County. Some 10,000 Eritreans from the U.S. and Canada arrive in the area to play and watch through July 8 at Burien's Highline High School and Seattle's Genesee Park. Seattle is home to about 7,000 Eritreans. This year organizers are creating a youth soccer league for 8- to 15-year-olds.

Seattle Pacific becomes the first collegiate program in the state with 500 victories, marking that milestone with a 4-3 overtime win over Grand Canyon at Interbay Stadium. Colin Rigby scores with 8 minutes left in the second overtime for the No. 16 Falcons. Cliff McCrath's 500th win with SPU comes Sept. 25 in a 2-1 overtime defeat of Notre Dame de Namur.

Seattle University plays its first match in newly renovated Championship Field and also its first game under a new coach since 1988. Brad Agoos has replaced Peter Fewing, and the Redhawks hand him a 4-3 win over Chico State. Championship Field now features new covered seating and scoreboard and an expanded capacity to 650. A new playing surface is the grass used for the Real Madrid friendly at Qwest Field two weeks earlier.

Fife's plan to become a regional soccer center has collapsed. City officials have drop-kicked the proposal to partner with local and state youth soccer associations to build Pacific National Soccer Park. They have begun discussing what to do with 54 acres the city already bought for the project. Fife officials won't agree to a lease until Tacoma Pierce County Junior Soccer Association develops a business plan showing how and when they can raise $15 million.

Carly Dobratz scores her third goal of the season in the 57th minute to give Washington State a 1-0 win over Washington to open Pac-10 play in Pullman. It's the Cougars' third straight Apple Cup win, their best run in the series. Dobratz runs onto a chipped ball from Anna Miller and sends a roller from 18 yards past charging Huskies keeper Kelsey Rasmussen.

Former Gonzaga and Sounders star Brian Ching scores with seven minutes remaining in extra time and converts the deciding penalty kick in the resulting shootout to lift the Houston Dynamo over New England, 1-1 (4-3), in the MLS Cup final in Frisco, Texas. Ching's header comes 71 seconds after Taylor Twellman puts the Revolution in front. Ching, who scored three postseason goals, is named man of the match. Former Sounder and Washington alum Craig Waibel plays the entire 120 minutes in Houston's central defense. Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear played for Seattle's 1995 championship side.

Kasey Keller makes two diving stops in the final 20 minutes as the United States, playing a man down, achieves a 1-1 draw in Group E with Italy in Kaiserslautern, Germany. Keller bats away an Alessandro del Piero volley and then parries a 25-yard blast by the Italian forward. The underdog Americans play the final 43 minutes with just nine players, two having been sent off. Italy also lost a starter to a red card, but still plays with a man advantage throughout most of the second half.

The All Nations Cup, a tournament for local teams, each representing a different country, begins in Tukwila. The field has expanded to 37 men's teams – tripling in size since starting in 2003 – and over 1,000 players. A women's tournament is being conducted for the first time. In addition to games through July 29, there are ethnic concerts, dances and other cultural arts activities.

Hope Solo posts her ninth shutout of the year and Kristine Lilly's goal gives the U.S. a 1-0 win over Canada in the Peace Queen Cup in Seoul. The USWNT remains undefeated on the year. Tina Frimpong comes on late to make her 14th appearance of the year.

Kasey Keller becomes one of only two players to represent the United States on four World Cup rosters with Bruce Arena naming him to the squad for the upcoming tournament in Germany. Keller, 36, plays for Germany's Borussia Moenchengladbach and is the likely U.S. starter in goal. He was also a starter in 1998. Two former Sounders, goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann and forward Brian Ching, are also chosen. They are among 11 newcomers. Claudio Reyna is also a four-time selection.

It's a routine 19th clean sheet for Marcus Hahnemann as Reading extends its unbeaten string to 32 matches by defeating Southampton, 2-0. The Championship-leading Royals have not lost since opening day vs. Plymouth on Aug. 6, and they are now 13 points ahead of second-place Sheffield United, against whom they draw the following week. Hahnemann owns a home scoreless streak of 299 minutes.

Lyndsey Patterson's first-half goal enables Seattle Sounders Saints to claim third place in the W-League with a 1-0 consolation win over Charlotte Lady Eagles at Burnaby, B.C. Seattle was coming off a 5-0 semifinal loss to host and eventual champion Vancouver. The Whitecaps, who got three combined goals from U.S. National team member Tiffeny Milbrett and Canadian National teamer Christine Sinclair, completed the season 13-0-1.

An own goal in the fifth minute of overtime lifts Western Washington to a 2-1, come-from-behind victory at 9th-ranked and GNAC-leading Seattle University. The win enhances Western’s chances of reaching the NCAA tournament. Seconds after Redhawks keeper Kaitlyn Jackson saves off Katie Weber, Kelly Irving reloads and sends a ball into the mix and two SU defenders put it in their own net while attempting to clear. Maryann Boddy puts Seattle U up in the fourth minute and Kelly Gagne’s header ties it in the 57th. The first meeting four weeks earlier had been a 2-1 overtime decision for the Redhawks.

Tafara Pulse’s goal in the 76th minute sends the Seattle Sounders Saints through to their first W-League semifinal appearance, 1-0, over Mile High Edge in the Western Conference final at Starfire Stadium. A long free kick from Michelle French creates chaos in the box, with the ball bouncing off Seattle’s Chalise Baysa to the feet of Pulse to pound home for her third goal of the season.

Randy Hanson is returning to his old post at Puget Sound after a one-year hiatus. Hanson left the program after 10 successful seasons in December 2004 to become the director of soccer training of Manchester United Soccer Schools at Starfire Sports in Tukwila. His responsibilities will increase since the Loggers recently made women's soccer coach a full-time position for the first time. Dan Keene, who replaced Hanson for 2005, will be Hanson's assistant.

Brandon Kelley scores a brace and Snohomish cruises to a 5-1 triumph over South Kitsap in the boys' 4A championship game at Sumner. It's the largest winning margin in a 4A final in 11 years and the Panthers' first title after finishing runner-up via penalties three years earlier. It's a 1-nil game until midway through the second half, when Snohomish scores three times in as many minutes. Colin Lacy doubles the lead from a corner kick in the 59th minute. In the 61st, Kelley pounces on a lost ball from the South Kitsap keeper, and a minute later finishes a run up the right side with a 14-yard blast for a 4-0 advantage. Brandon Crutchfield and Brendan Rosgen also score for the Panthers (20-1-0), ranked sixth nationally. Travis Gutierrez scored No. 13 South Kitsap's late goal. In all, seven state teams are nationally ranked.

Colin Rigby jolts Seattle University in the first minute and 17 minutes later works a give-and-go to assist Andy Willis, propelling 6th-ranked Seattle Pacific past their 15th-ranked rivals, 2-1, before a full house at Interbay Stadium. Jason Cascio brings SU within a goal in the 77th minute but is issued his second yellow card less three minutes later. Rigby’s header from a Brandon Crutchfield cross comes after only 38 seconds.

Sounders striker Cam Weaver of Kent is voted USL Rookie of the Year. Weaver finished tied for the league lead in goals (18) and total points (39) with Miami's Romario. He is the club's third rookie of the year in the A-League/USL era, joining Jason Dunn (1994) and Greg Howes (2000).

Seattle Sounders breakout star Cam Weaver is heading overseas with the USL Rookie of the Year transferring to Norwegian first division club FK Haugesund. Weaver led the USL 1 with 18 goals after replacing the injured Maykel Galindo. He goes on to score seven in his first season in Norway.

Puget Sound's Cortney Kjar is named Division III National Women’s Soccer Player of the Year by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). Kjar led her team to the NCAA Sectionals for the fourth straight year and was named a first team All-American and Northwest Conference (NWC) Offensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. She scored 22 goals in 22 games as the Loggers won their fourth consecutive NWC title. Kjar finishes her career as the leader in eight separate statistical categories. In 2004, she tied a NCAA tournament record with six assists.

Pat Thomas scores the winning goal 26 seconds into overtime, as fourth-seeded Seattle University advances to the NCAA II West Regional men's soccer final by stunning top-seeded Cal State-Dominguez Hills, 2-1, at Carson, Calif. Thomas’s 10th goal of the year is a sitter after the Toros' keeper collides with a defender. Earlier, Hans Esterhuizen puts the Redhawks in front after 49 minutes, hitting the rebound after John Fishbaugher is saved. Seattle U, considered a surprise tournament selection with seven losses, proceeds to win the regional title two nights later, via penalties, over Cal State L.A., 3-3 (4-2). Esterhuizen, who scores again, is voted the regional defensive MVP. The Golden Eagles dispatch SPU, 2-1, in the other semifinal.

Redmond’s Bear Creek School wins the state's first 2B/1B tournament over Colbert's Northwest Christian in a penalty shootout, 0-0 (4-2) at Tacoma's Curtis High School. Seniors for the Grizzlies had gone 0-15-0 as freshmen in 2003.

Seattle Pacific and Seattle University fly over a thousand miles to settle the score in an NCAA Division II first-round game that extends to overtime in La Jolla, Calif. SPU freshman Janae Godoy pokes home the winner from a feed by Sarah Martinez at 107:39 to lift the No. 18 Falcons to a 1-0 victory over the No. 11 Redhawks, who had swept the regular season series. In the regional tournament’s nightcap, top-seeded UC San Diego eliminates Western Washington, 4-0.

Gonzaga completes a 48-hour sweep of Portland, 2-1, when Tye Perdido scores in the ninth minute of overtime in Spokane. George Josten's WCC-leading eighth goal of the season in the 84th minute brings the Bulldogs level. John Reha pierces the Pilots defense before passing to Perdido to score from 15 yards. Reha assisted on both goals in a 2-1 win at Portland two days earlier. The Zags are unbeaten in four (3-0-1) meetings with UP.

Puget Sound clinches its first Northwest Conference title since 2002 with a 1-0 win at Pacific in Forest Grove, Ore. It's the Loggers' sixth straight win, all by shutout. Micah Wenzel boots in a rebound off a corner kick in the 54th minute. UPS gets an automatic NCAA Division III berth.

A Pacific Northwest record crowd watches Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid pay a visit to Seattle for a friendly with D.C. United at Qwest Field. Although the matchup is only announced 16 days prior, a capacity throng of 66,830 flocks to see Los Galacticos stars such as Raul, Fabio Cannavaro, Iker Casillas, Roberto Carlos and, particularly, David Beckham. The 1-1 draw sees Antonio Cassano score for Madrid in the 22nd minute and Alecko Eskandarian answer for United three minutes later.

A new PDL team in Tacoma will replace the Spokane Shadow in the Northwest Division. The new club, owned by Mike Jennings and Pat Garlock and coached by Jennings, will go by the name Tacoma FC for 2006 before choosing a permanent nickname for 2007. TFC will assume the Shadow's schedule and play home games at Curtis High School. The Shadow was forced to cease operations March 27 when they concluded the turf at Spokane's Joe Albi Stadium was unfit for play.

While they are committed to Qwest Field for 2006, the Sounders submit a lease proposal draft play home games at Thunderbird Stadium on the Kitsap County Fairgrounds in Bremerton. They averaged just 2,864 for 14 matches at Qwest in 2005, which has a capacity of 67,000. Thunderbird Stadium has 6,500 seats.

Andrew Gregor converts a penalty kick in the final minute to keep Seattle's slim playoff hopes alive with a 2-1 win over Atlanta in the final regular season match before 8,829 at Qwest Field. The Sounders finish 11-13-4, the first losing season. The following day they are eliminated from playoff contention by Puerto Rico's draw with Miami.

Roger Levesque's go-ahead goal paves the way to the Sounders' second victory over the Timbers in 24 hours, 3-1, before nearly 3,000 on Brian Schmetzer bobblehead night at Qwest Field. The back-to-back Cascadia Cup wins are part of a second-half resurgence aimed at keeping Seattle's playoff hopes alive. Led by Cam Weaver's seven goals it has gone 5-1-1 over the past month. Weaver got the second goal in a 2-1 road result at Portland the night before, and he scores the opener at home. Then Levesque heads in a loose ball and Maykel Galindo, recently returned from injury, comes off the bench at the interval and scores his first goal of the year.

Hope Solo helps the United States extend Germany to penalties, but the defending world champions prevail, 0-0 (4-3), to take the Algarve Cup in Faro, Portugal. Largely untested during regulation, Solo must first sprint off her line to punch away a cross, then backpedal to parry a Celia Okoyino shot from distance in the 96th minute. Solo is later named the tournament's outstanding keeper after allowing one goal in 300 minutes. Fellow UW alum Tina Frimpong starts two of four matches on defense.

Brazilian legend Romario scores a hat trick for Miami FC in sending the Sounders to their fifth straight defeat, 5-3, at Tropical Park Stadium. Romario, 40, breaks a 3-3 tie in the 86th minute with a header, and Oscar Gil finishes off Seattle in stoppage time. The Sounders, playing their fifth of seven straight away, sink to 2-7-3. All three of their goals are scored shorthanded following a first-half red card to Andrew Gregor.

Seattle Pacific freshman Jessica Pixler wins the GNAC cross country championship by 3 seconds in Lacey. What's extraordinary is that Pixler's primary focus is soccer she's a reserve defender for the Falcons, appearing in seven games to date. Pixler goes on to win the NCAA West Regional and finish 10th nationally, with SPU 20th as a team.

Marcus Hahnemann earns his club record 23rd shutout as Reading routs Derby County, 5-0, at home. Hahnemann, a fan favorite for giving away his shirt after every game to any fan waving an American flag, makes three impressive saves, including two on Giles Barnes. All five Royals goals come in the second half.

Sounders goalkeeper Preston Burpo is making his move to the big time. After nine years with Seattle, punctuated by a championship season in 2005, Burpo is signing with Chivas USA of Major League Soccer. Chivas struggled through a tough expansion season, finishing with a dismal 4-22-6 record. Burpo is the Sounders USL career leader in shutouts (46) across all competitions. Joining him on the Los Angeles-based Chivas team will be Brent Whitfield, a rookie midfielder last year with Seattle.