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     • VIDEO: Blaine Carver

SEATTLE – Junior Blaine Carver increased his team-high scoring total to six goals with two tallies Thursday during the second half of ninth-ranked Seattle Pacific's 2-0 Great Northwest Athletic Conference men's soccer victory over Montana State Billings.
 
The Falcons (9-1-2) improved to 5-1-2 in league play and remained perfect in five home games. Thursday's game was the first at their Interbay Stadiuim home field in nearly a month. SPU played five straight road games since their last home appearance on Sept. 15.
 


“It definitely feels really good to be back,” Carver exclaimed. “Part of it is just the routine, eating at the same pre-game place and just knowing that our fans are going to support us here.
 
“It's definitely nice to be back instead of out on the road for five games.”
 
After 59 scoreless minutes, Carver (Soldotna, Ak.) delighted the home fans with a goal on the initial shot of the second half by either team. He sent a pass on the right side to Kyle Smurdon, who returned the ball to him at the center of the box. Carver directed a looping, seven-yard shot off the crossbar and into the goal at 59:05.
 
He  found the goal again at 76:45 after collecting a loose ball that was bouncing in the box. Carver flicked a shot over goalkeeper Eoin Hurley from 10 yards out.
 
Senior goalkeeper Zach Johnson (Snohomish, Wash./Snohomish HS) amassed six saves for the Falcons, who matched shots with MSUB at 10 apiece. He registered SPU's fifth shutout.
 
Hurley did not stop a shot for the Yellowjackets (6-4-1) who saw their GNAC record drop to 3-4-1.
 
The most dangerous first-half scoring opportunity came nine seconds before halftime when Billings midfielder Joshua Marocchi fired a shot that forced Johnson to dive to his right for the save.
 
The 2-0 decision gave Mark Collings his 50th win as head coach of the Falcons. He is the fastest to that figure in SPU history, reaching the 50-win plateau in his 88th game.
 
Collings compiled a 50-26-17 record in five seasons. Legendary coach Cliff McCrath (1970-2007) got his 50th win in his 94th game on the SPU sidelines. McCrath finished with a 512-190-87 record at SPU.
 
The Falcons remain home to host second-place Northwest Nazarene on Saturday at 7 p.m.
 
 
NCAA MEN'S SOCCER
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Interbay Stadium/Seattle, Wash.
 
at (#9) Seattle Pacific 2, Montana State Billings 0
 
Scoring – 1, SPU, Blaine Carver (Kyle Smurdon), 59:05; 2, SPU, Carver, 76:45.
 
Shots – MSUB 10, SPU 10.
Saves – MSUB 0 (Eoin Hurley), SPU 6 (Zach Johnson).
Corner kicks – MSUB 5, SPU 3.
Fouls – MSUB 13, SPU 11.
Offsides – MSUB 3, SPU 3.
 
Records:
Seattle Pacific 9-1-2,  5-1-2 GNAC
Montana State Billings 6-4-1,  3-4-1 GNAC
 
Next SPU Men's Soccer Game:
Northwest Nazarene at Seattle Pacific
Saturday, Oct. 13, Interbay Stadium, 7:00 p.m.