Sophia Chilczuk reigns as Seattle Pacific University top offensive force
One-third of the way through the season, sophomore Sophia Chilczuk is leading the Falcons’ women’s soccer team’s offensive charge.
Chilczuk has proved, just ten games into the season and four games into the conference season, that she is one of the most efficient offensive forces on the SPU women’s soccer squad. She averages a little over two shots on goal per game and 57.1 percent of the time she has scored.
“I do not think it is necessarily luck that gets me into scoring situations, rather it is me moving myself into spots that give me the opportunity to take a shot on goal. My team recognizes that my movement off the ball can often lead to scoring opportunities which in return gets me the ball near the goal,” Chilczuk said.
There is a small amount of women soccer players in the GNAC, let alone on the SPU team, who have shot on as consistent basis at Chilczuk’s level of efficiency. One of the closest consistent and efficient shooters in the conference is SPU forward Kasey Revee, with 54.2 percent of success rate when taking shots on goal.
Over the entire 10 games that have been played this season, Chilczuk has taken more shots, had more shots on goal and scored more goals than any of her teammates.
This last Saturday, Chilczuk netted the game-winning goal in the second half, leading the
Falcons to a 2-1 home victory over Northwest Nazarene University.
She also posted six shots in the game, a season high. Chilczuk said the time she gets with the ball in game has been very productive, but is nothing without her teammates.
“I believe that we have a very strong team this year … I think we have a team that is hungry to win. We are focused, dedicated, and committed to playing our best in order to meet our goals,” she said.
Chilczuk said the strength of her team comes from all grade levels.
“We have a large number of girls who are seniors who bring experience to the team, but we also have freshman who have already significantly impacted us and have made us better.”
She also speaks highly of her coaches, “Our coaches do a great job of providing us players with the tools and knowledge to succeed on and off the field.”
The SPU women’s soccer team is 7-2-1 overall and 3-1-0 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. Currently, they tie for second in the GNAC with Western Washington University.
Chilczuk and The Falcons clash with the Western Washington University Vikings
Thursday, Oct. 4, at 7 p.m. in Bellingham.
Even with a long season ahead, Chilczuk has several ambitious goals for where she wants to be at the end of the soccer season.
“My biggest goal for this soccer season is to win the GNAC tournament and also the NCAA tournament,” she said.
Before Seattle Pacific University, Chilczuk said soccer was one of the biggest parts of her life.
“I started playing soccer from the moment I could walk. My dad is from Argentina and my mom is from Brazil, so soccer is embedded within our culture. My dad taught me a lot of the ins and outs of soccer and continues to guide me through the game,” she said.
She grew up with soccer, imagining she would attend a large university like her older siblings, but she said SPU suits her just right.
“I ended up at SPU after contemplating multiple other schools and ultimately chose SPU because I felt that it was the best fit for me, however, I have found that SPU offers exactly what I need with its tight knit community.”
