Team of the Week: New-look Sea Lions aim to make eighth straight NCAA Tournament

Compared to past seasons, this has not been a banner year for women’s soccer at Point Loma Nazarene.

That is simply because the bar has been set incredibly high. PLNU’s women’s soccer team went 17-3-1 last season after winning the NCAA Division II national championship in 2023 with an identical 17-3-1 mark.

So, what does a down season look like for the Sea Lions’ women’s soccer team? What about 8-3-5 with a chance to advance to an eighth straight NCAA Tournament this weekend, when PLNU hosts the four-team PacWest Tournament on the Sea Lions’ scenic on-campus field.

“This team’s best play can still be ahead of it,” Sea Lions coach Kristi Kiely said earlier this week. “We started the season as a very young team. We had some ups and downs along the way as we developed. But we’ve improved as the season progressed.”

“We have a distinct way of how we play,” said junior midfielder Grace Nelson. “It takes a bit of time for new players to get used to it. As a team, we like hanging out. The best way to do that is to keep winning. And we’re playing our best soccer right now.”

The Sea Lions enter the PacWest Tournament as the No. 3 seed and play second-seeded Hawaii Hilo in Thursday’s second semifinal at 2 p.m.

Thursday’s winners advance to Saturday’s noon championship game. Only two PacWest teams are expected to advance to the NCAA playoffs this season.

“Winning the first game is really crucial,” said Kiely, who has a 102-21-16 record at PLNU.

“We can do it,” said decorated PLNU goalkeeper Julia Pinnell. “We’re young, and we’ve come a long way. But we’re experienced as a program at playing in tournaments. I think that’s important.”

The Sea Lions started the 2025 campaign minus eight starters from the 2024 team that was eliminated in overtime of the NCAA West Regional championship game.

The veterans among the returnees were Pinnell, Nelson, stellar defender Zoe Crockett and forward Alyssa Ketcham.

And atop that list is Pinnell, a 5-foot-9 senior from Beaverton, Ore., who has started all 77 games played by the Sea Lions since she stepped on campus as a freshman in 2022. She has a 55-12-10 record with 39 shutouts and a 0.617 goals against average.

“Julia is one of the most focused and invested players I’ve ever coached,” said Kiely. “She studies opponents. She knows what goes on in the region. She is a very smart player and is both good in the air and with the ball at her feet. And she also starts our attack by the way she distributes the ball.”

Said Pinnell: “I enjoy the game of soccer. I pay a lot of attention to the smallest details. One aspect of that is getting to know the opponents so well. That helps me stay calm. But the big part of the shutouts and my GAA goes to the defense in front of me. I enjoy being part of the offensive build-out once we control the ball, being the extra attacker.”

Like Pinnell, Crockett received all-region honors last year as a junior. Nelson and Ketcham were all-conference selections.

But the bulk of the PLNU lineup, including three freshman regulars, opened the 2025 season with limited experience.

“This season has been very much a group effort,” said Kiely. “Our style is to control the ball with passes, particularly among our defenders and midfielders. We want to deny the other team the ball and opportunities.”

PLNU plays a 4-3-3 system with a striker and two wings up front.

Sophomore striker Priya Torres is PLNU’s leading scorer with four goals and four assists. The regular wings are Ketcham (three goals, four assists) and freshman Maddy Saruwatari (one goal, one assist).

Nelson (four goals, three assists), graduate transfer Kylie Garcia (four goals, two assists) and junior Nikki Ross (four goals, two assists) have the most minutes in the midfield with Crockett; sophomores Gianna Masinter, Jenna Bissett and Abby Buys and freshman Juliet Thrapp lead the defensive rotation.

“We don’t have the experience we had last season with that great cast of seniors,” said Nelson. “But if they’re here, they can play. This program is deep in talented players. Yes, we’ve had some learning minutes, but we’re growing. This isn’t the easiest style to walk into. You have to learn and trust.”

There is a common thread that draws athletes to Point Loma Nazarene.

“Success, yes,” said Pinnell. “But I wanted to be part of a faith-based university with a central, small community theme. I’ve always felt Point Loma Nazarene was invested in me.”

Every week during the school year, U-T contributor Bill Center highlights one San Diego college team that’s making strides on and off the field. To nominate a team, email wcenter27@gmail.com.