Box score, play-by-play
 
SEATTLE – Down two goals at halftime, the Seattle Pacific Falcons figured they'd just keep firing away, and sooner or later, they'd score a couple goals.
 
They did – one sooner, and one later. But by the end of a rain-soaked 90 minutes, they were still one goal short.
 
Jason Swope tallied twice during the first half, and Cal State Los Angeles then withstood a furious Seattle Pacific rally in the second half, hanging on for a 3-2 victory in the NCAA Division II West Regional men's soccer championship game on Saturday night at Interbay Stadium.
 




The 17^th-ranked Golden Eagles (15-1-6) advance to the national quarterfinals next weekend at a site and against an opponent yet to be determined.
 
Seattle Pacific, ranked 13^th, finished its season at 14-4-2.
 
“Coach (Mark Collings) just kept the positivity rolling,” senior midfielder Ryan Brand (Portland, Ore.) said of the discussion at intermission. “He said just keep pushing and we'll get something – and we did. We knew we had the ability to do it. It was really just re-enforcing and instilling that in us.”
 
The Falcons were in the postseason for the first time since 2006. It also was the first playoff trip for former SPU player Collings as a coach since he stepping up to the helm beginning with the 2008 season.
 
“We made some mistakes and they were there to finish them,” Collings said of the Golden Eagles. “They were very opportunistic. Their keeper came up big a couple times, and their center backs both played very well.”
 
“Our guys played hard,” Collings added. “We had our chances, but certainly, they deserved it.”
 
Swope, who now has three goals for the tournament, scored on a shot inside the 6-yard box at 25:35, then doubled the Golden Eagles' lead to 2-0 at 40:48 when he went 1 on 1 against SPU senior goalkeeper Zach Johnson (Snohomish, Wash./Snohomish HS) and sent a shot into the back left corner.
 
The Falcons immediately got back into the game after halftime.
 
Junior defender Brandon Kuenzi (Silverton, Ore.) took a long throw-in from the left side about 20 yards up from the goal line. Senior midfielder Drew Williams (Bend, Ore.) headed it on to junior defender Jon Pearman (Glendale, Ariz.0, and from the top left corner of L.A. goalkeeper Waleed Cassis' front porch, Pearman blasted it into the left side at 47:13 to make it 2-1.
 
Antti Arvola restored the Golden Eagles' two-goal lead at 68:17 when he launched a 26-yard free kick around the right side of a five-man Seattle Pacific wall and into the back right corner.
 
But the Falcons kept creating, kept shooting, and got within 3-2 at 80:36. Once again, Kuenzi started the play with a long throw-in. This one found senior forward Tyler Schultz (Scottsdale, Ariz.). Playing near the middle of the 6-yard box, Schultz blasted a shot into the right side.
 




SPU wound up outshooting the Golden Eagles, 18-14, including 11-3 during the second half – with several near-misses:
 
--A cross from the right side by Brand skittered just inches past the far post late in the 52^nd minute.
--With a free kick 35 yards up from the goal line on the left side, junior midfielder Richie Evoy (Bend, Ore.) lofted a target ball into the penalty area. Pearman went up for a header, but flicked it barely wide right late in the 63^rd minute.
--Brand ripped a shot from the top of the arc that Cassis managed to save at the outset 66^th minute.
--Sophomore forward Blaine Carver (Soldotna, Alaska) had a shot from the right side of Cassis' front porch that was blocked by a Golden Eagles defender and hauled in by Cassis early in the 87^th minute.
 
“No question everyone gave it their all tonight,” Brand said. “It's tough, and it didn't end the way we wanted it to – but no regrets with us.”
 
Seattle Pacific will graduate six seniors, including top scorer Schultz, whose goal on Saturday was his 16^th of the season.
 
“We have some big shoes to fill as far as personalities go,” Collings said. “Sure, there are stats, but there are some strong personalities that have set a new standard for us.
 
“We return quite a few guys. We'll be back, and hopefully feel a little different at this point next season.”
 
 
NCAA MEN'S SOCCER
Division II West Regional championship
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Interbay Stadium / Seattle, Wash.
 
Cal State Los Angeles 3, Seattle Pacific 2
 
Scoring – 1, CSULA: Jason Swope (Antti Arvola), 25:35; 2, CSULA: Swope (Marvin Sandoval), 40:48; 3, SPU: Jon Pearman (Drew Williams, Brandon Kuenzi), 47:13; 4, CSULA: Arvola (direct free kick), 68:17; 5, SPU: Tyler Schultz (Kuenzi), 80:36.k
 
Shots – CSULA 14, SPU 18.
Saves – CSULA (Waleed Cassis) 6, SPU (Zach Johnson) 2.
Corner kicks – CSULA 2, SPU 5.
Fouls – CSULA 12, SPU 15.
Offsides – CSULA 1, SPU 1.
Cautions – CSULA: Dane Nielson, 56:19, Nicolas Assad, 75:37. SPU: Kodiac Gamble, 22:25; Caleb Nyone, 73:06; Christopher Morris, 82:43.
Ejections – None.
Attendance – 560.
 
Records – Seattle Pacific 14-4-2. Cal State Los Angeles 15-1-6.
 
Next game – Seattle Pacific season complete.