• Boxscore & Play-by-Play

SEATTLE – A freshman scored both goals for Seattle Pacific, but the night belonged to the seniors.

Blaine Carver's two first-half goals rallied the SPU men from an early deficit to a 2-1 Great Northwest Athletic Conference soccer victory over Saint Martin's on Saturday in their final regular-season home game at Interbay Stadium.

It was the final home appearance for two SPU seniors, including three-year letterman midfielder Andy Wolverton (Portland, Ore.). He is a crowd favorite who drew howls from the crowd every time he entered the game.

SPU goalkeeper Kaleb Kuehn (Marysville, Wash./Marysville-Pilchuck HS) registered two saves and got the win in his home finale. The three-year letterman senior has a perfect 5-0 record since moving into the starting role on Oct. 14.



“We went down early 1-0 and we fought back with two great goals by Blaine,” said Kuehn. “I couldn't be more proud of the guys, especially tonight for Andy and I, having it be our senior night and the last game on the field.”

The Falcons (9-5-2) recorded their sixth straight win and ninth in the last 10 games. They are on a 9-1-1 surge since starting the season at 0-4-1.

SPU enters the final week of the regular season in second place with 19 points and a 6-1-1 league record. Simon Fraser has not lost in eight GNAC games and its 24 points are five more than the Falcons.

The defending conference champion Saints (7-9-0, 2-6-0 GNAC) scored first Saturday, just over six minutes into the contest. Xan Nixon ran on to a through ball from Austin Kelley and placed an eight-yard shot into the left corner of the SPU goal at 6:04.

Carver (Soldotna, Ak.) answered at 12:24 for the Falcons with a put-back off a saved shot attempt by teammate Christopher Morris (Mercer Island, Wash./Mercer Island HS). SMU goalkeeper Zac Lubin deflected the hard, 20-yard shot by Morris, but the ball caromed to Carver just outside the six-yard box for the easy equalizer.

The freshman forward scored again at 20:03 with his seventh goal of the season. Junior Elliot Morton (Tacoma, Wash./Bellarmine Prep) lobbed a ball into the box. Carver controlled the ball in traffic with his head, dropping it to his right foot for a seven-yard volley to the right side of the goal.

Lubin stopped one shot for the Saints, who were outshot by a 15-13 margin.

The Seattle Pacific men close out their regular-season slate on the road. They visit league-leading Simon Fraser on Nov. 4 and Western Washington on Nov. 6.

“After the win tonight, it does a great job putting us up for success to win on the road. We've got to win the next two,” Kuehn said.

“We have motivation. There's nothing more that's going to motivate us than to get the GNAC championship and to try to get in the NCAA Tournament.”



NCAA MEN'S SOCCER
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Interbay Stadium/Seattle, Wash.

Seattle Pacific 2, Saint Martin's 1

Scoring – 1, SMU, Xan Nixon (Austin Kelley), 6:04. 2, SPU, Blaine Carver (Christopher Morris), 12:24. 3, SPU, Carver (Elliot Morton), 20:03.

Shots – SMU 15, SPU 13.
Saves – SMU 1 (Zac Lubin), SPU 2 (Kaleb Kuehn).
Corners – SMU 5, SPU 6.
Fouls – SMU 14, SPU 17.
Offsides – SMU 1, SPU 4.
Cautions – SMU 2 (Ricco Sanchez, Erik Orosco), SPU 3 (Tyler Schultz, Kodiac Gamble, Morton).
Ejections – SPU, Gamble, 87:04.
Attendance – 471.

Records –
Seattle Pacific 9-5-2, 6-1-1 GNAC
Saint Martin's 7-9-0, 2-6-0 GNAC

Next game –
Seattle Pacific at Simon Fraser
Thursday, Nov. 4, 7:00 p.m., Burnaby B.C.