• Boxscore & Play-by-Play

LACEY, Wash. -– While they've so far avoided the flu epidemic, Thursday the Falcons contracted a serious case of déjà-vu.

For the second time this season, the 24th-ranked Seattle Pacific men's soccer team found itself on the short end of a 3-2 decision against Great Northwest Athletic Conference rival Saint Martin's.

“We got outworked, plain and simple. If you don't work hard you aren't going to win many soccer games and they worked harder than we did,” SPU coach Mark Collings said.

Vlad Voin scored the game-winner from inside the box during the 75th minute, helping the Saints complete a sweep of the season series. Voin assisted on the winning goal in the first meeting, on Oct. 1 in Seattle.

Collings had hoped that his players would be eager to avenge the earlier defeat.

“No excuses. There was plenty for us to play for and we just didn't show up to play today. They were more motivated and we looked very slack and disinterested.”

SMU has now won three straight games against the Falcons, evening the all-time series at 3-3.

The Falcons' overall record dipped to 9-2-3, with both losses coming against SMU.

Third-place SPU's conference record moved to 2-2-1. Saint Martin's strengthened its hold on first place in the GNAC standings, improving to 4-1 and 9-6 overall.

Ruben Orozco played a part in all three goals for the Saints, who were playing the first men's game on their new on-campus field. He scored SMU's first goal and distributed assists on the other two.

Tyler Schultz scored twice for SPU, increasing his team-leading total to six goals. The sophomore midfielder (Scottsdale, Ariz.) netted the lone goal in SPU's victory at No. 17 Grand Canyon on Monday.

“He finished a couple and probably could have had one or two more,” said Collings, who liked the fact that his team kept battling back. “It's not because they don't care that's for sure. They were down and came back. It was just more that we didn't get it done when we needed to. It was 2-2 and we got in again, one-on-one with the keeper, and we missed it.“

Schultz gave the Falcons a 1-0 advantage 3:54 into the contest, collecting the ball during a scramble in front of the goal and slipping it across the goal line from three yards out. That lead held up into halftime.

SMU tied the score just 1:32 into the second half when Orozco converted a penalty kick at 46:32.

Less than five minutes later, the Saints took their first lead on a Kelley Austin shot inside the left post. Orozco and Xan Nixon were credited with assists on the goal at 51:07.

SPU equalized at 2-2 when freshman Charlie Piehler (Renton, Wash./Kentridge HS) sent a through ball into the box that Schultz deposited into the goal at 67:33.

Quick one-two passes by Orozco and Gabe O'Hara set up Voin for the decisive goal at 74:58.

Junior goalkeeper Kaleb Kuehn (Marysville, Wash./Marysville-Pilchuck HS) made three saves for the Falcons, who were outshot by a slim 12-10 margin.

SMU's Zac Lubin stopped three shots.

The Seattle Pacific men quickly return to action, hosting Montana State Billings on Saturday, Oct. 17. Kick-off is 7 p.m. at Interbay Stadium.

The Falcons may actually hope their current case of déjà-vu continues as they successfully rebounded from their first loss to SMU, winning 1-0 at Western Washington two days later.

They hope to replicate that bounce-back victory on Saturday against the Yellowjackets.

“We've got to find some energy somewhere,” Collings said. “We looked tired today. Saturday will be our third game in six days and Billings has been off for a week, sitting there licking their chops.

“We certainly have to find some energy somewhere because it's going to be difficult. We've got to find a way to get healthy and muster up some energy for a big one on Saturday.”


NCAA Men's Soccer
Thursday, October 15, 2009
SMU Soccer Field/Lacey, Wash.

Saint Martins 3, (#24) Seattle Pacific 2

Scoring -- 1, SPU, Tyler Schultz, 3:54. 2, SMU, Ruben Orozco (pk), 46:32. 3, SMU, Kelley Austin (Orozco, Xan Nixon), 51:07. 4, SPU, Schultz (Charlie Piehler), 67:33. 5, SMU, Vlad Voin (Gabe O'Hara, Orozco), 74:58.

Shots – SPU 10, SMU 12.
Saves – SPU 5 (Kaleb Kuehn 3), SMU 4 (Zac Lubin 3).
Corner kicks – SPU 4, SMU 6.
Fouls – SPU 5, SMU 12.
Offsides – SPU 2, SMU 1.
Attendance -- 126.

Records --
Seattle Pacific 9-2-3, 2-2-1 GNAC
Saint Martin's 9-6-0,  4-1-0 GNAC

Next game --
Montana State Billings at #24 Seattle Pacific
Saturday, Oct. 15, 7:30 p.m., Seattle, Wash.