SPOKANE, Wash. - Whitworth University heads west to Tacoma, Washington to participate in the first and second rounds of the NCAA Division III women's soccer tournament this weekend. The Pirates will take on University of California - Santa Cruz (12-2-2) in the first round. The other first round match features host University of Puget Sound (18-1-1) against Cal Lutheran University (8-10-4).

Lindsey Oakes

Whitworth put itself in position to pick up one of the 60-team tournament's 18 Pool C (at-large) bids by winning two road matches last week. Whitworth won 3-1 at Lewis & Clark behind Whitney Ramsey's (Jr., F, Spokane, Wash.) goal and assist. Then Lindsey Oakes (Jr., MF, Boise, Idaho) scored twice to lift the Bucs to a 2-0 win at Whitman College in the regular season finale on Saturday night.

Oakes was named Northwest Conference Offensive Player of the Week after scoring three total goals in last week's two road wins.

Click here for a complete tournament bracket.

NCAA Schedule:
Saturday, Nov. 10 -
Puget Sound vs. Cal Lutheran, 11:00 a.m.
Whitworth vs. UC Santa Cruz, approx. 1:30 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 11 -
First Round Winners, 1:00 p.m.

Click here for UPS host website.

Leading the League : Whitworth's offensive efficiency has the Pirates atop the Northwest Conference statistics in points per game. Whitworth has 53 goals and 52 assists in 19 matches this year and the 8.31 points per contest average leads the NWC. In addition the season assists totals lead the league as well for overall total and assists per game (2.73).

Greta Thibodeau

Greta Thibodeau (Sr., F, Juneau, Alaska) leads the conference in assists as an individual with 12 in the 19 matches, while Penelope Crowe (Jr., F, Bellingham, Wash.) is second in the NWC with nine assists in 19 matches.

The Whitworth defense has been strong as well. Whitworth has allowed 15 goals against, the second lowest total in the NWC to this point.

An Amazing Season: The statistics demonstrate that 2007 has been one of the greatest years in Whitworth history. The Pirates have won 17 games, breaking the record set by the 1996 team that finished 16-5-2. The 2007 team is now also holds the record for assists in a season (52), breaking the record of 48 in 1996. The 2007 squad is second on the all-time lists in both goals scored (53, second to 68 in 1996) and total points (158, second to 184 in 1996).

Jael Hagerott

Individually, Jael Hagerott (Sr., MF, Spokane, Wash.) is now all-time leader in career assists as a Pirate with 27. She is third all time in goals scored (29) and third in total points (85).

Making it Count: Whitworth's Kaylyn Plumb (Fr., MF/D, Spokane, Wash.) has scored eight goals this season which ranks tenth in the NWC for total goals and goals per match (0.47). However, she has four game winning goals in that season total, which is fourth in the league.

Coming Up Next: UCSC was given one of the four Pool B (independent) bids to the tournament. The Banana Slugs have been led this season by Annick Lamb, who has 10 goals and 2 assists. Whitworth and UCSC met last season in early September and finished in a 1-1 tie.

Puget Sound earned the NWC's automatic bid to the tournament by winning its sixth straight conference title. The Loggers' Janece Levien leads the league in scoring this season with 21 goals and three assists.

Cal Lutheran finished fourth in the final Southern California Intercollegiate Athletics Conference regular season standings, but came alive in the conference tournament to win the league's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The Regals are led by Aubrie Smith's 9 goals and one assist.

Head Coach: Sean Bushey, the winningest coach and longest-serving coach in Whitworth women's soccer history, is 107-85-15 in his 11th year leading the Whitworth women. During that time he has also served as the Pirate men's coach.