• Boxscore & Play-by-Play

SEATTLE – Andy Wolverton has displayed a knack for taking charge in important situations.

He did it again Friday, converting a penalty kick with 10 seconds remaining in the final overtime Friday that lifted the Seattle Pacific men to a dramatic 1-0 non-conference soccer victory over Hawaii Pacific at Interbay Stadium.

Wolverton scored his team-leading fifth goal of the season, directing the penalty shot into the lower left corner at 109:50. The penalty was whistled when SPU's Anthony Mohammed was taken down on the right side of the box.

“Wow! We get a penalty at the end of the game and Andy comes through again,” Falcons coach Mark Collings exclaimed.

SPU's senior captain, Wolverton called his own number when it came to selecting who would take the penalty kick.

“I actually don't tell who takes the penalties, I just let them decide,” Collings explained. “I figure if someone wants it they'll step up and take it. It's going to be the guy on the field who grabs the ball.”

Wolverton was that guy, grabbing the ball for the third time this season on a penalty kick. He has been successful on all three attempts, including a pair on Oct. 2 against Northwest Nazarene that were part of Wolverton's first career hat trick.

A product of Jesuit High School in Portland, Ore., Wolverton also produced a crucial goal on Sept. 20 against Western Washington. His 84th-minute strike secured a 2-2 tie against the Falcons' rival.

The Sea Warriors (7-3) had their own opportunity to win Friday's game as they were awarded a penalty kick with 3:08 left in the second overtime. But Nathan Scott pushed his low shot just wide of the left post and the game continued.



Collings was pleased that his team kept playing hard, even when it looked like they could lose the contest.

“They get a penalty and miss, and we continue to keep battling and good things happen with 10 seconds left. It was definitely a deserved victory.”

The Falcons (4-5-2) were victorious for the first time in five overtime games this year. They tied two and lost two in their previous four extended contests. SPU's last game was a 3-2 home loss on Thursday and Simon Fraser's winning goal came in the fourth minute of overtime.

Seattle Pacific compiled a commanding 29-8 shot advantage Friday, including a 10-4 margin during the two 10-minute overtime sessions.

HPU goalkeeper Kay Flache recorded nine saves, including an acrobatic diving stop of a hard 15-yard shot by Richie Evoy in the 70th minute.

SPU sophomore Zach Johnson (Snohomish, Wash./Snohomish HS) stopped two shots en route to his fourth shutout.

The Falcons had the run of play in the first half, outshooting HPU 9-2 before intermission. Their best chance came in the 32nd minute when Wolverton headed a cross from inside the 6-yard box that Flache saved in the center of the goal.

The Sea Warriors put the ball in the net in the 63rd minute, but Chance Bukowski's goal was disallowed due to an offside violation.

In the fourth minute of overtime the Falcons had three shots in quick succession, but did not score. Mohammed had a 17-yard attempt deflected by goalkeeper Flache, a putback by Tyler Schultz was blocked off the line by an HPU defender and Wolverton's follow carried over the crossbar.

With 6:32 left in the final overtime Evoy cracked a hard 25-yard free kick that caromed off the HPU goalkeeper. Wolverton raced to the rebound and headed a shot just wide of the right post.

Two Sea Warriors were ejected after the decisive foul and just prior to Wolverton's winning shot. Richard Guffens drew his second yellow card and Linus Ekden, who received a first-half caution, received a straight red card for dissent.

The Falcons have played well recently, posting four wins and a tie during their last six games after starting the season with an 0-4-1 record.

The SPU men continue their five-game homestand on Thursday, Oct. 14 against 21st-ranked Grand Canyon. Kick-off is 4:30 p.m. at Interbay Stadium, followed by a 7 p.m. women's game between the Falcons and Northwest Nazarene.


NCAA MEN'S SOCCER
Friday, October 8, 2010
Interbay Stadium/Seattle, Wash.

Seattle Pacific 1, Hawaii Pacific 0 (2ot)

Scoring – 1, SPU, Andy Wolverton (pk), 109:50.

Shots – HPU 8, SPU 29.
Saves – HPU 9 (Kay Flache), SPU 2 (Zach Johnson).
Corner kicks – HPU 3, SPU 5.
Fouls – HPU 21, SPU 17.
Offsides – HPU 2, SPU 0.
Cautions – HPU 4 (Linus Ekden, Pierrick Cassin, Jon Hallstrand, Richard Guffens), SPU 1 (Jon Pearman).
Ejections – HPU 2 (Richard Guffens, Linus Ekden).
Attendance – 441.

Records –
Seattle Pacific 4-5-2
Hawaii Pacific 7-3-0

Next game –
#21 Grand Canyon at Seattle Pacific
Thursday, Oct. 14, 7:00 p.m., Interbay Stadium