Box Score                • Final Stats

NAMPA, Idaho – Coach Mark Collings has been preaching all season about the importance of playing a full 90 minutes. His sermons to the Seattle Pacific men's soccer team will definitely continue.
 
SPU extended to 10 games its longest unbeaten streak in nine years, but it came via a draw as Northwest Nazarene scored 45 seconds before the end of regulation Thursday to force a 2-2 tie in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference contest at NNU Soccer Field.
 
The Crusaders Fredy Razo gathered the rebound from his own eight-yard shot off the crossbar and booted it in from the goalmouth at 89:15 for the equalizer and his conference-leading ninth goal. Razo has scored in nine of the 10 games in which he played this season.
 
"They were able to whip a ball in and get a shot that hits off the crossbar and bounces down," SPU coach Mark Collings described. "A little scrum ensues and their kid was able to find it and hit it into the roof of the net."
 
The Falcons (7-1-3) had to settle for the draw after they were unable to score in overtime despite a 5-1 shot advantage during the two, 10-minute sessions. The only team without a GNAC loss, SPU stays in second place in the standings with a 5-0-3 league ledger.
 
"It feels like a loss to be honest," said Collings. "We played pretty well in the first half and battled our way back into it to take a 2-1 lead on a couple great goals. In overtime we established ourselves again and had three or four really great looks. It was unfortunate we couldn't put anything away."
 
These two teams tied in each of their last four matchups, including a 1-1 result in this season's first meeting on Sept. 26 in Seattle.
 
NNU (3-3-5) now has a 3-2-3 GNAC record. The Crusaders started the scoring at 12:58 on an Emmett Demirelli shot from the top of the box after a short clearance attempt by SPU.
 
SPU evened the score at 28:34 on freshman Jordan Thompson's (Bellevue, Wash./Newport HS) inaugural collegiate goal. He collected a long chip from Anthony Mohammed and slipped it to the lower right of the goal.
 
"He was definitely a proven goal scorer when we recruited him," Collings said of Thompson. "Hopefully this can get him on track and give him a little bit of confidence to close out these next few games."
 
The Falcons surged ahead at 34:49, on a 30-yard blast by junior Taylor Backous (Bellevue, Wash./Sammamish HS), for a 2-1 lead they enjoyed until the 90th minute. Freshman Chaz Jenkins assisted on Backous' second goal of the season.
 
SPU led the shot count 8-2 at halftime, but then the Crusaders posted a 10-4 second-half lead in that category.
 
"In the second half we played a little tight, played not to lose and then tried to hang on," said Collings. "They generated some opportunities, but nothing too great. And then unfortunately we give up one late."
 
Red-shirt freshman goalkeeper Cody Lang (Spokane, Wash./Lewis & Clark HS) was credited with five saves for the Falcons, who compiled a 17-13 shot advantage for the game.
 
Ryan Foo stopped three shots for the Crusaders.
 
Collings will keep reciting his 90-minute mantra until the players prove it is no longer necessary.
 
 "We've got to figure out a way not to have these little lapses. We still are trying to find a way to play well for 90 minutes and we're just not doing that," he said.
 
"We've just got to find a way to establish how we want to play and continue to play that way regardless of the score. When we figure that out we'll be fine."
 
SPU has not lost since the season opener on Sept. 7. The current 10-game undefeated stretch, including seven wins and three ties, is its longest since 2004. The last time the program had a longer lossless streak came when the 2000 squad went 11-0-1 during a 12-game span.
 
The Falcons remain on the road for a visit to Montana State Billings on Saturday at noon.
 
 
NCAA MEN'S SOCCER
Thursday, Oct. 17, 2013
NNU Soccer Field / Nampa, Idaho
 
Seattle Pacific 2, at Northwest Nazarene 2 (2ot)
 
Scoring – 1, NNU, Emmett Demirelli, 12:58; 2, SPU, Jordan Thompson (Anthony Mohammed), 28:24; 3, SPU, Taylor Backous (Chaz Jenkins), 34:49; 4, NNU, Fredy Razo, 89:15.
 
Shots – SPU 17, NNU 13.
Saves – SPU 5 (Cody Lang), NNU 3 (Ryan Foo).
Corner Kicks – SPU 2, NNU 2.
Fouls – SPU 17, NNU 15.
Offsides – SPU 0, NNU 0.
 
Records
Seattle Pacific 7-1-3, 5-0-3 GNAC
Northwest Nazarene 3-3-5, 3-2-3 GNAC
 
Next SPU Men's Game
Seattle Pacific at Montana State Billings
Saturday, Oct. 19, 12:00 p.m. PDT
Yellowjacket Field / Billings, Mont.