Box Score           • Final Stats
 
ST. GEORGE, Utah –- Sean Russell and Graham Reid netted second half goals 10 minutes apart on Tuesday, carrying the Seattle Pacific men's soccer team to its first win of the season with a 2-0 non-conference decision over Dixie State at Hansen Stadium.
 
Russell's goal at 64:25 was the first of the season for the Falcons (1-1), stopping a 154-minute scoreless streak. He collected a long back-line pass from Jeffrey Collings (Seattle, Wash./Ballard HS) and dribbled from the left flank into the box before unleashing a 12-yard strike into the right side of the Dixie goal.
 
"Just a great effort," SPU coach Mark Collings exclaimed. "Sean got the ball, beat a couple guys and then slotted it -- a very good individual effort by him. Sean was very good tonight and certainly his work paid off."
 
The initial goal came of the 11th attempt of the game for the Falcons and their seventh shot on goal.
 
The goal was Russell's first since scoring three times during his freshman season. The junior from Seattle's Garfield High School nearly scored again in the 90th minute Tuesday but his left-footed volley carried just over the crossbar.
 
Red-shirt freshman Reid (Boise, Idaho) produced an insurance tally for SPU at 74:04 with his inaugural collegiate goal. He raced to the rebound, after teammate Jordan Kollars' free kick was saved by goalkeeper Tyler Walters, and headed it into the goal.
 
"The keeper made a nice diving save, but Graham was there to finish the leftovers with a nice header," Collings said.
 
The first half was scoreless despite a dominating performance from the Falcons who boasted an 8-2 shot margin, including a 4-0 advantage in attempts directly on goal.
 
Was Collings' team concerned at halftime about the lack of early scoring?
 
"We really weren't. With this group we've just been trying to find confidence. Tonight in the first half we were starting to develop a good rhythm," he described.
 
"We just felt like as long as we could continue to do what we were doing and then add a couple wrinkles into it that the goals would come. Sure enough we were fortunate to put a couple away."
 
For the game, SPU outshot the hosts 14-7 and 8-1 in the shots on goal category.
 
Red-shirt freshman goalkeeper Cody Lang (Spokane, Wash./Lewis & Clark HS) recorded one save en route to his first shutout. Walters stopped three shots for the Red Storm (0-1).
 
"Any time you can get out on the road and get a victory is certainly important. Early in the season to get the first win out of the way is definitely a big deal," said Collings. "Also as all of us know, non-conference wins are very, very important when it comes to selections for the tournament.
 
"This was definitely a big result for us and should give us some confidence to come home Saturday and take on a good Notre Dame team."
 
The Falcons return home on Saturday for an Interbay Stadium doubleheader with the women's team. Both SPU squads play Notre Dame de Namur, the women at 4:30 p.m. and the men at 7 p.m.
 
 
NCAA MEN'S SOCCER
Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013
Hansen Stadium / St. George, Utah
 
Seattle Pacific 2, at Dixie State 0
 
Scoring – 1, SPU, Sean Russell, 64:25; 2, SPU, Graham Reid (Jordan Kollars), 74:04.
 
Shots – SPU 14, DSU 7.
Saves – SPU 1 (Cody Lang), DSU 6 (Tyler Walters).
Corner Kicks – SPU 5, DSU 4.
Fouls – SPU 16, DSU 18.
Offsides – SPU 2, DSU 0.
 
Records
Seattle Pacific 1-1-0
Dixie State 0-1-0
 
Next SPU Men's Game
Notre Dame de Namur at Seattle Pacific
Saturday, Sept. 14, 7:00 p.m.
Interbay Stadium/Seattle, Wash.