The NAU soccer season didn't end as well as the previous two years, but it's still one that will go down as one of the best in Lumberjack history.

The women's soccer team had its most successful regular season since the program's inception and marked the end of the collegiate careers for Kristi Andreassen, Brenna Boies, Tori Howe, Anna Clark, Brandy Carr, Corie McGuire, Carolyn Savage and Rebekah Schmidt.

The eight seniors were part of the 2007 recruiting class and since their freshman year helped NAU reach new heights.

The eight seniors, along with juniors Tori Rocke and Sam Monahan, earned the nickname "The Foundation" and before they stepped on campus, NAU went 65-112-8 over the previous 10 seasons. Upon the group's arrival, the Jacks had a winning record each of the following years, including the program's first trip to the NCAA tournament in 2008 and followed it with a repeat appearance in 2009.

The Foundation's final season in 2010, however, was one of unprecedented success and monumental heartbreak. The Jacks finished the year with a 12-4-3 record, hosted the Big Sky Conference tournament for the first time, set a Big Sky record with a six-game shutout streak that lasted 569 minutes and 2 seconds, and set a school record 12-game unbeaten streak that stretched from mid-September to the Big Sky championship game on Nov. 7.

In that final game, it took a perfectly shot ball to down the Jacks' historic season.

Facing Sacramento State in the conference tournament's finale, an arching shot sailed over the head of the Jack defenders for the match's only goal that decided the game in the 52nd minute.

It was a heartbreaker for everyone on the NAU sideline, but especially for the eight who saw their college career come to an unfitting end.

Tears were shed as the seniors had to say goodbye to the women they had been playing with even before they arrived in Flagstaff.

"This last year is an accumulation of everything we had in terms of our vision for our program," NAU coach Andre Luciano said before the season ended. "I had to sell a blind vision for our big class in 2007 and 2008 and they bought into it. It's been great since then.

"We haven't had a losing record in the last four years. I think a lot of it has to do with the players we've brought in over the years."

Shortly after the season, Andreassen, who was also the Big Sky's defensive MVP, was named Academic All-American of the Year for the 2010-11 ESPN Academic All-America Soccer Team. It's the premier academic award for collegiate athletes and Andreassen beat out 322 Division I women's soccer programs and more than 8,000 players to receive the honor.

Jacob May can be reached at jmay@azdailysun.com or 556-2257.