Tacoma’s own Brent Goulet is named U.S. Soccer Male Athlete of the Year at the end of a globetrotting year. Goulet, 23, makes Washington the first state to have both a male and female winner. Sharon McMurtry won in 1985. While Goulet did not represent the senior national team, he flourished for the U.S. in Olympic qualifying, scoring four times. He was voted MVP of the Western Soccer Alliance despite playing only a portion of the season for FC Portland and later scored twice as a guest player for FC Seattle during a postseason tour of the United Kingdom. In early November, following multiple tryouts in West Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Scotland and England, he became the first U.S. citizen granted a work permit to play professionally in Great Britain, and he signed for a reported $35,000 with Bournemouth of the Second Division.

Kimberly Keever’s overtime strike sends Washington to the NCAA third round with a 1-0 victory over Missouri in Palo Alto, Calif. Keever’s sixth goal of the year comes 63 seconds into the first golden-goal period. Megan Kufeld makes three saves for her fifth shutout.

Thousands from Washington, both far and nearby Clark County, descend upon Portland's Civic Stadium for the first of two World Cup match days. A crowd of 17,668 sees the doubleheader of Japan-Russia (0-5) and China-Ghana (7-0), with Sun Wen getting a hat trick in the latter. The next day, an even larger throng of 20,129 witnesses Germany-Mexico (6-0) and North Korea-Denmark (3-1).

A golden goal from Kristin Maris gives 23rd-ranked Western Washington a 2-1 upset of No. 10 Sonoma State in overtime in Far West semifinal at Rohnert Park, Calif. The Vikings never trail in earning their record 19th win, taking the initial lead in the ninth minute on a Joana Houplin penalty kick. Jamie Arthurs makes eight saves, and in the 13th minute of overtime Catherine Miles cuts it back to set-up Miles for the goal. WWU advances to its first regional final since 2008. UC San Diego wins the regional, 2-1, in overtime Nov. 16 in Denver and goes on to be Division II runner-up.

Michelle Akers, Amy Allmann, Lori Henry and Shannon Higgins return to Seattle and a reception with hundreds of local fans, including Governor Booth Gardner, at Mercer Island Community Center. Allmann, Henry and Higgins all announce they are retiring. They and Akers, regarded as the best female player in the world, earned only $1,000 per month from U.S. Soccer.

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.