October 20, 2008
NAMPA, Idaho -- Freshman
Ryan Brand capped a remarkable comeback with a game-ending goal in the 10th minute of overtime Monday, lifting Seattle Pacific to a 3-2 victory over Northwest Nazarene in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference men's soccer game at NNU Soccer Field.
Brand (Portland, Ore./Jesuit) was just six yards from the end line at the left edge of the box when he launched a looping 25-yard shot that nestled high into the goal's far post inside netting at 99:12. That was Brand's fourth goal of the season and his second game winner.
His golden goal secured the win for SPU, which trailed 2-0 just over 12 minutes into the game. The Crusaders opened the scoring with an Alex Mangeac goal in the 10th minute followed by a questionable tally at 12:07.
Brock Ogami ran onto a through pass after the rest of the players stopped due to a linesman's raised flag signaling offside on another NNU player. The referee ignored the flag and allowed the goal, on Ogami's 15-yard shot.
“I'm really proud of this group,” said first-year SPU coach
Mark Collings. “To be down two goals on the road, especially with a controversial second goal, and have the character to relax, settle in and stick with the game plan shows how much this young team has improved.”
The Falcons remained in second place in the GNAC standings with a 4-2 record. They improved their overall mark to 5-6-3.
Northwest Nazarene dropped to 9-4-2 overall with a 2-4-1 conference ledger.
Junior
Alec Nelson (Lynnwood, Wash./Meadowdale) tallied SPU's first goal on a penalty kick at 20:42. It was fitting that Nelson converted the kick as he was robbed of a goal when his point-blank header was stopped by an intentional hand ball by an NNU defender. The culprit, Jose Oregon, was issued a red card and sent off, forcing the Crusaders to play shorthanded the rest of the game.
Junior
Enis Isufi (Auburn, Wash.) netted SPU's equalizer at 56:01 on a six-yard header off a free kick cross from freshman
Griffin Fahling (Tupelo, Miss.).
Sophomore
Kaleb Kuehn (Marysville, Wash./Marysville-Pilchuck) made his fifth start in goal and was brilliant at times in blanking the Crusaders over the final 87 minutes. He was credited with 11 saves for SPU, which was outshot 22-17.
“Kaleb was sensational in the second half. He had at least two big-time saves in the second half,” Collings exclaimed.
One of those big-time saves came in the 98th minute when he denied a dangerous shot by Alex Mangeac.
Alexander Engemann made three saves for NNU.
The Falcons are one game behind GNAC-leading Western Washington, which sports a 4-1 record. SPU has two conference games remaining in their pursuit of the GNAC title.
“That's the goal our team is playing for. We really want to win the conference championship,” Collings said. “If we can do that, who knows what could happen about the playoffs.”
The Falcons remain on the road for two more games, starting Saturday at UC San Diego.
NCAA Men's Soccer
Monday, October 20, 2008
NNU Soccer Field; Nampa, Idaho
Seattle Pacific 3, Northwest Nazarene 2 (ot)
Scoring -- 1, NNU, Alex Mangeac (Ben Mangeac), 9:48. 2, NNU, Brock Ogami (Jeremy Mangeac), 12:07. 3, SPU,
Alec Nelson (pk), 20:41. 4, SPU,
Enis Isufi (
Griffin Fahling), 56:01. 5, SPU.
Ryan Brand, 99:12.
Shots—SPU 17, NNU 22.
Saves – SPU 11 (
Kaleb Kuehn), NNU 3 (Alexander Engemann).
Corner Kicks – SPU 6, NNU 8.
Fouls – SPU 19, NNU 11.
Offsides – SPU 2, NNU 1.
Attendance -- 146.
Records --
Seattle Pacific 5-6-3, 4-2-0 GNAC
Northwest Nazarene 9-4-2, 2-4-1 GNAC
