• Boxscore & Play-by-Play

CHICO, Calif. – The Seattle Pacific men surrendered their first goal of the season in the 61st minute Monday and that is all Chico State needed to claim a 1-0 non-conference win at University Soccer Stadium.

The visiting Falcons (0-1-1) are still in search of their first win after opening the season Saturday at home with a scoreless, double-overtime tie against Humboldt State.

The Wildcats (2-0-0) got their goal off a throw in from Ryan Nevarez, who was credited with an assist on the play along with Mike Janjigian who headed the throw goalward. Ferid Celosmanovic raced to the ball near the goalmouth and flicked it inside the near post with a back heel at 60:31 for the game's only score.

That goal snapped SPU's season-opening stretch of over 170 scoreless defensive minutes.

“Chico is a good soccer team and it's always going to be tough to come down here and win,” said third-year SPU coach Mark Collings. “Nonetheless we had our chances. The boys played hard, I can't fault their effort.

“We just can't live off of never ever giving up goals and relying on that. We have to find a way to score some goals.”

The Falcons offense has yet to find the net despite several dangerous chances that forced Chico goalkeeper Sam Evans to make four saves for the shutout.

Two of those saves denied junior forward Ryan Brand (Portland, Ore.), whose four shots accounted for half of the Falcons total. Brand provided the best SPU scoring opportunity midway through the first half on an eight-yard shot toward the lower right corner that was pushed off the goal line by Evans.

Sophomore Zach Johnson (Snohomish, Wash./Snohomish HS) was credited with five saves for SPU, which was outshot 19-8. Many of the Wildcats shots were errant as they had a slim 6-4 advantage in shots directly on goal.

“Defensively we continue to be very solid. We don't give up a lot,” Collings described. “Zach had to make one good save tonight and he did.

“Our opposition isn't really getting a lot of good looks at our goal so I'm happy with that. We just need to be better in the attack. You can't win games unless you score goals.”

Hindering the SPU attack Monday was the absence of a trio of midfield starters from last season. Junior Drew Williams, who led the team with nine assists in 2009, was forced to miss the Chico game after being issued a red card in the season opener.

Sophomores Richie Evoy and Christopher Morris also did not play Monday due to injuries.

“We were missing a lot of guys. Not having Drew, not having Richie and Chris Morris, you are taking three guys right out of the center of the field,” Collings explained. “But that's not an excuse. We have a lot of good soccer players that can perform and we're just not clicking right now. I feel like once we get one goal the doors will open.”

The Falcons men remain on the road for a three-game trip to Colorado. SPU plays in Denver on Friday (Sept. 10) at Metro State before visiting Mesa State (Sept. 13) and Regis (Sept. 15).

“We're okay,” Collings said. “The team will bounce back and we will certainly work hard this week to be ready for Friday.”


NCAA MEN'S SOCCER
Monday, September 6, 2010
University Soccer Stadium/Chico, Calif.

Chico State 1, Seattle Pacific 0

Scoring – 1, CSU, Ferid Celosmanovic (Ryan Nevarez, Mike Janjigian), 60:31.

Shots – SPU 8, CSU 19.
Saves –SPU 5 (Zach Johnson), CSU 4 (Sam Evans).
Corner kicks – SPU 6, CSU 8.
Fouls – SPU 12, CSU 11.
Offsides – SPU 2, CSU 5.

Cautions – SPU 3 (Corey McGuire, Jon Pearman, Elliot Morton), CSU 5 (Chris Akwaja, Zach Bradford, Dillon Thomas, Evan Johnston, Luis Martinez).
Ejections – None.
Attendance -- 312.

Records
Seattle Pacific 0-1-1
Chico State 2-0-0

Next Game
Seattle Pacific at Metro State, Sept. 10
Denver, Colo., 12:30 p.m. PDT