Box Score             • Final Stats       |       • VIDEO: Bryson Pavel

SEATTLE – For the opening 45 minutes the Falcons were nearly flawless. Fortunately that was enough.
 
Bryson Pavel scored in the 22nd minute Saturday, starting a three-goal spree in the first half for the Seattle Pacific men, who held on to defeat Montana State Billings 3-2 in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference soccer game at Interbay Stadium.
 
"We were really good in the first half, maybe some of the best we've played," SPU coach Mark Collings said. "The second half it fell off a little bit. That's just something we need to work on. We need to put together a complete 90 minutes."
 
The Falcons (5-1-1) remained undefeated in their last six outings and improved to 3-0-1 in league action.
 
"At the end of the day to get a victory and not play your best soccer for 90 minutes is always a good thing at this stage of the season," Collings added.
 


Pavel (Boise, Idaho) was 12 yards from the goal when Danny Olivas served a long free kick into the box. With his back to the goal, the sophomore defender flicked a header into the upper left corner at 21:14 for the first goal of his career.
 
Exactly seven minutes later sophomore Matt Merchant (Portland, Ore.) converted a penalty kick, placing it into the right side of the MSUB goal for his first tally of the season. SPU was awarded the free shot after freshman Jordan Thompson was fouled in the box at 28:14.
 
The Falcons third goal came just over five minutes later on a fantastic 17-yard finish by freshman Stephen MacDonald. Garrett Jones looped a long pass toward the box. MacDonald (Phoenix, Ariz.) won a race to the ball and quickly chipped it over the goalkeeper at 33:24 for what proved to be the game-winning goal.
 
"The third goal was just classic Stephen. He's been steady for us as far as a scoring threat," Collings said of MacDonald, whose three goals lead all SPU scorers.
 
The lead could have larger, but the Falcons had two early goals disallowed. One was called back due to offside and the other because of a foul.
 
The Yellowjackets got on the board 13 minutes after halftime on a 16-yard strike by Thorge Jess. Sam Butterworth sent a long pass toward the left wing to Jess, who dribbled at the goal before scoring into the right side netting at 58:04.
 
MSUB drew within 3-2 on a penalty kick by Jesper Fries with 1:30 left to play. The penalty was awarded after a SPU's Taylor Backous deliberately handled the ball to deny a scoring opportunity at the left post after a corner kick. Fries deposited the penalty shot into the right side of the Falcons goal at 88:30.
 
That was the last shot of the game for either team.
 
Red-shirt freshman goalkeeper Cody Lang (Spokane, Wash./Lewis & Clark HS) made one save for SPU, which compiled a 15-8 shot advantage.
 
Eoin Hurley stopped three shots for MSUB (0-6-2). The Yellowjackets remained winless in GNAC games at 0-3-1.
 
A crowd of 407 witnessed the game. Many of them were incoming freshmen going through orientation weekend prior to SPU classes starting on Monday. Many of the spectators were members of a newly formed fan group, the Dravus Street Elite (D.S.E.).
 
"The crowd was awesome," Collings exclaimed. "This new group that we've got going, the D.S.E., was fantastic. Our guys really fed off that energy in the first half."
 
The Falcons will need similar support on Thursday at 7 p.m. when top-ranked Simon Fraser invades Interbay Stadium. The Clan are the three-time defending GNAC champions.
 
"Simon Fraser is obviously very good. They come in undefeated, unblemished," said Collings. "They've kind of had our number the past couple years, so it will definitely be a big test for us. Hopefully our guys will be ready for the challenge."

 
NCAA MEN'S SOCCER
Saturday, Sept. 28, 2013
Interbay Stadium / Seattle, Wash.
 
at Seattle Pacific 3, Montana State Billings 2
 
Scoring – 1, SPU, Bryson Pavel (Danny Olivas), 21:14; 2, SPU, Matt Merchant (pk), 28:14; 3, SPU, Stephen MacDonald (Garrett Jones), 33:24. 4, MSUB, Thorge Jess (Sam Butterworth), 58:04; 5, MSUB, Jesper Fries (pk), 88:30.
 
Shots – MSUB 8, SPU 15.
Saves –MSUB 3 (Eoin Hurley), SPU 1 (Cody Lang).
Corner Kicks – MSUB 4, SPU 1.
Fouls – MSUB 17, SPU 11.
Offsides – MSUB 1, SPU 2.
 
Records
Seattle Pacific 5-1-1, 3-0-1 GNAC
Montana State Billings 0-6-2, 0-3-1 GNAC
 
Next SPU Men's Game
(#1) Simon Fraser at Seattle Pacific
Thursday, Oct. 3, 7:00 p.m. PDT
Interbay Stadium / Seattle, Wash.