Postseason play will be part of the SF State women’s soccer team’s schedule for the first time since 2002 and the California Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament birth will be its first.

“It feels right,” said Carly Bliss. “I was talking to Robin [Bowman] that last year we were done at this time. If we were done now, it would be the shortest and most incomplete season of my life.”

The Gators bit back this weekend by sinking their teeth into Humboldt State and Sonoma State, avenging losses earlier in the season to both teams.

The weekend was all defense. Defender Morgan Davison scored two goals (one in each game) and defender Sarah Whelan scored one against Humboldt. Forward Zoila Marquez also put a goal in against Sonoma.

Davison’s two goals and her defense’s back-to-back 2-0 wins made her the Brine/CCAA Player of the Week.

“After the game [Sunday] Robin made a joke: ‘You could be player of the week,’” Davison said. “I was like, ‘Yeah right, defenders never get it.’ Then Robin texted me and said ‘I told you.’”

SF State sits in the top spot of the CCAA North Division with a conference record of 10-3-1 and an overall record of 12-6-2. Sonoma State (8-3-1 CCAA, 13-4-1 overall) trails the Gators by six points, but will have a chance to share the division title with the Gators if the Seawolves win their last two games.

The NCAA Division II West Regional Poll ranked SF State fourth—the top six in the poll receive bids to the NCAA D-II Women’s Soccer Championship. The purple and gold last sported their colors in the tournament in 2002.

In the CCAA tournament, the Gators will likely come face-to-face with a South Division team—UC San Diego, Cal State Dominguez Hills or Cal State San Bernardino. The Gators team completed a sweep on the Southern Division this season.

“It doesn’t really matter [who we play],” Morgan Davison said. “We’ve beaten all the teams and we can do it again.”

Last season, SF State finished third in the North Division with a 6-6-2 record and 9-9-2 overall record. The 2007 Gators racked up 21 goals, but were outscored by their opponents with two goals. In 2008, they outscored the opposition 25-13.

“The main difference [from the 2007] team is that every single person on the team—whether they played 90 minutes, five minutes or red-shirted—is everyone has the same goal and wants to win,” Davison said. “In past years some really wanted it and some were like, ‘It’s okay if we don’t.’ We knew this year that [it] was not okay.”

“Big Goal” Bowman lived up to the legend, scoring nine goals and five game-winners. She scored six more goals than last season, stands tied for second in the conference for most goals scored and is tied for the conference lead with five game-winning goals.

“I’m just smart when I get into the box,” Bowman said. “I anticipate where the ball’s going to be, setting myself up for an easy touch.”

Eight different members of the team scored and 10 had assists. Zoila Marquez was second on the team with five goals, including three game-winners to put herself tied for the third in the CCAA in that category. Myriah Johnson had four goals and defender Sarah Whelan led the team with four assists.

“[The offense] is good. Everyone is always fighting to [get] playing time,” said Kara Cunningham, who has two goals on the season. “When you have that kind of pressure you work harder.”

As impressive as the scoring machine is, the defense cracked down on opposing teams by posting a CCAA-leading 12 shutouts.

Goalkeepers Emily Hart and Rachel Lauderdale have stopped almost everything sent their way and put themselves in the top 10 of nearly every CCAA category. Hart leads the CCAA in goals against average (0.47), save percentage (.921) and is tied for second in shutouts (six). Lauderdale is third in goals against average (.81), seventh in save percentage (.810) and is tied for sixth in shutouts (four).

“It’s my defense,” Hart said. “They organize really well and they listen well. I’m so lucky to have the defenders—I’m so lucky to have the whole team. I work hard, but they make my job easy.”

The Gators have their bye week at the end of the season. They will not see action again until the CCAA Tournament on Nov. 7 in La Jolla, San Diego. The purple and gold await their opponent that will be decided in the final week of CCAA play.

“It’s not going to feel truly great until we win that CCAA championship, it won’t truly be worth [the work until we win],” Bowman said.