• Boxscore & Play-by-Play

BELMONT, Calif. -- Senior Caleb Nyone played a part in two goals for 11th-ranked Seattle Pacific, which started its 2012 men's soccer season with 4-2 road victory over Notre Dame de Namur at Koret Field.
 
The four-goal outburst was the highest season-opening scoring output in 10 years for the Falcons (1-0). They routed Northwest Nazarene 7-0 in the first 2002 game.
 
“I'm certainly happy about the four goals we were able to put away, now we'll get to work on not giving up goals.” said fifth-year coach Mark Collings, who led SPU into the NCAA Division II West Regional championship game last year.
 
The Falcons have won five of six all-time meetings with Notre Dame, but suffered a 3-1 setback last season in Seattle.
 
SPU fell behind in the 31st minute Thursday when Armando Garcia dribbled through traffic before unleashing a short scoring blast. The equalizer came just over six minutes later when SPU's Danny Olivas (Phoenix, Ariz.) was fouled in the box and senior Richie Evoy (Bend, Ore.) converted the ensuing penalty kick at 36:59.
 
Nyone (Happy Valley, Ore.) put the Falcons ahead 2-1 just 2:20 into the second half. He gathered a short NDNU clearance and delivered a low, 25-yard half-volley into the goal. The Argonauts (0-1) evened the score 10 minutes later when Jonathan Gonzalez got loose in the box and chipped a shot over goalkeeper Zach Johnson (Snohomish, Wash./Snohomish).
 
Johnson stopped two shots and his NDNU counterpart Jay Tsuruoka had four saves. Both teams attempted 14 shots.
 
At 64:13, junior Blaine Carver (Soldotna, Ak.) netted what proved to be the game-winner on an eight-yard header. Brandon Kuenzi (Silverton, Ore.) tossed a throw-in to Olivas, who flicked it with his head to Carver.
 
Junior Kodiac Gamble (Tucson, Ariz.) tallied an insurance goal at 80:10 on a 10-yard header off a free kick from Nyone.
 
“Today we needed a lift and there he was,” Collings said of Nyone, a first-team All-Great Northwest Athletic Conference selection in 2011.
 
“He had an assist and scored a fantastic goal. He's a senior captain who definitely stepped up and provided us with some offense today, which is what we needed to get a result with the defense having a little bit of an off day.”
 
The Falcons can't afford a sub-par defensive effort in their next game. They complete a two-game road trip on Saturday at 7 p.m. against No. 23 Chico State.
 
The SPU men then return to Seattle for their first home game, on Friday, Sept. 7 against Dixie State. Kick-off is 7 p.m. at Interbay Stadium.
 
NCAA MEN'S SOCCER
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Koret Field/Belmont, Calif.
 
(#11) Seattle Pacific 4, at Notre Dame de Namur 2
 
Scoring – 1, NDNU, Armando Garcia (Jesus Gonzalez), 30:34; 2, SPU, Richie Evoy (PK), 36:59; 3, SPU, Caleb Nyone, 47:20; 4, NDNU, Jonathan Gonzalez (Manny Cardenas), 57:40; 5, Blaine Carver (Brandon Kuenzi, Danny Olivas), 64:13; 6, Kodiac Gamble (Caleb Nyone), 80:10.
 
Shots – SPU 14, NDNU 14.
Saves – SPU 2 (Zach Johnson), NDNU 5 (Jay Tsuruoka 4).
Corner kicks – SPU 4, NDNU 5.
Fouls – SPU 13, NDNU 14.
Offsides – SPU 0, NDNU 0.
Ejections – None.
 
Records
Seattle Pacific 1-0-0
Notre Dame de Namur 0-1-0
 
Next game
(#11) Seattle Pacific at (#23) Chico State
Saturday, Sept. 1, 7 p.m., Chico, Calif.