Box Score • Final Stats
BILLINGS, Mont. –
Bryson Pavel scored on a 78th-minute header and
Blaine Carver got an insurance tally just over three minutes later Saturday as Seattle Pacific stretched its undefeated streak to 11 games with a 2-0 men's soccer shutout of Montana State Billings at Yellowjacket Field.
The Falcons (8-1-3) have not lost since a 1-0 season-opening setback against Chico State on Sept. 7.
"We would love to have that opening game back," said SPU coach
Mark Collings. "Beyond that, we just thought about trying to get that first win and it just kind of built on itself.
"When we started this streak, we just needed to get better each time and we're still in that same mode. We haven't played our best soccer yet. That's exciting, to be unbeaten in 11 and to not have played our best soccer yet."
The current run of eight wins and three ties marks the program's longest stretch without a loss since 2000. That season's squad went 11-0-1 during a 12-game unbeaten streak.
SPU remains the only team without a loss in Great Northwest Athletic Conference games, improving to 6-0-3.
After a scoreless first half, during which each team attempted three shots, the Falcons claimed control of the contest. Their defense held MSUB without a shot after halftime while the offense countered with seven shots.
Freshman
Jordan Kollars (Silverdale, Wash./Central Kitsap HS) set up the first goal with his fourth assist in the last four games. From a free kick on the left flank, he served a cross into the box that Pavel headed to the right side of the goal from 10 yards out at 77:56. That was the third goal of the season for the freshman defender from Boise, Idaho.
Carver (Soldotna, Ak.) quickly made it 2-0. He dribbled into the box toward the left side before delivering a shot across the goal and low into the right side netting at 81:16. SPU's senior forward has two goals this year.
Cody Lang (Spokane, Wash./Lewis & Clark HS) made both of his saves during the first 45 minutes. The Falcons red-shirt freshman goalkeeper posted his fifth shutout.
Collings credits his entire team for keeping opponents off the scoreboard.
"Everybody has bought into defending as a unit. When you do that you are going to be difficult to beat. That's what we've done. We've made it difficult for teams to beat us and we've been fortunate to put some goals away at the right time."
Eoin Hurley stopped two shots for the Yellowjackets (3-7-3), whose GNAC record dropped to 3-4-2.
The victory came in the wake of a 2-2 draw on Thursday when Northwest Nazarene scored the equalizer with 45 seconds left to play in regulation.
"It's a really big win for us to bounce back from a difficult, disappointing result on Thursday," Collings said. "To come here and put in the kind of performance we did today was great."
The SPU men play their final two home games next week, hosting U-Mary on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. and South Dakota School of Mines on Saturday at 7 p.m.
NCAA MEN'S SOCCER
Saturday, Oct. 19, 2013
Yellowjacket Field / Billings, Mont.
Seattle Pacific 2, at Montana State Billings 0
Scoring – 1, SPU,
Bryson Pavel (
Jordan Kollars), 77:56; 2, SPU,
Blaine Carver, 81:16.
Shots – SPU 10, MSUB 3.
Saves – SPU 2 (
Cody Lang), MSUB 2 (Eoin Hurley).
Corner Kicks – SPU 4, MSUB 3.
Fouls – SPU 11, MSUB 11.
Offsides – SPU 0, MSUB 1.
Records
Seattle Pacific 8-1-3, 6-0-3 GNAC
Montana State Billings 3-7-3, 3-4-2 GNAC
Next SPU Men's Game
U-Mary at Seattle Pacific
Thursday, Oct. 24, 4:30 p.m. PDT
Interbay Stadium / Seattle, Wash.
