Box Score

BISMARCK, N.D. – Jordan Thompson's tap-in golden goal with 49 seconds left in the second overtime Thursday lifted 10th-ranked Seattle Pacific to a 2-1 Great Northwest Athletic Conference victory over the University of Mary at Sioux Falls Stadium.
 
Danny Olivas, who scored SPU's tying goal in the 71st minute, dribbled down the right flank and broke toward the goal during the last minute of the final overtime session. He drew the goalkeeper out before slipping a low pass across the goalmouth to Thompson, who was in the center for the easy, open-goal finish.
 
The Falcons averted a tie that would have resulted if the teams had remained deadlocked for 49 more seconds.
 
Instead, SPU (5-0-1) improved to 2-0-0 to take over sole possession of first place in the GNAC standings.
 
"I'm really excited about the win. University of Mary is a great team and playing here was difficult," said SPU coach Mark Collings. "I'm really, really proud of our guys for sticking to it. After not playing well in the first half, to come back and play great in the second half and then overtime shows the maturity of our team."
 
Mary (2-1-1) fell to 1-1 in league play after suffering its first setback.
 
The Marauders got on the board first on a great volley by Jordan Pearce at 36:53. Jack West served a corner kick that was headed out of the area by an SPU defender. Brad Kelly headed that clearance back into the center of the box where Pearce lashed a 12-yard shot into the left side of the goal.
 
That was just the second ball this season to get past SPU sophomore goalkeeper Cody Lang (Spokane, Wash./Lewis & Clark HS) and stopped his scoreless streak at 405 minutes.
 Olivas (Phoenix, Ariz.) notched the equalizer at 70:09 with his first goal of the season. Sean Russell's close-range shot was blocked at the goal line by Mary defender Adam Potter. The rebound caromed to Olivas who quickly deposited the ball inside the left post.
 
"Danny Olivas was fantastic today. It might have been his best game as a Falcon," exclaimed Collings. "He was the difference tonight.
 
"He had a great finish on the goal and then of course he set up the game-winner. You have the stats as far as a goal and the assist, but he had the biggest impact on the game in other areas as well."
 
Despite surrendering his first goal since Sept. 6, Lang was brilliant between the posts. Less than one minute after the Marauders scored, they were knocking on the door again. Lang prevented a two-goal deficit with an acrobatic dive on a hard, 17-yard shot by Aaron Brennan that he was able to tip over the crossbar.
 
In the second half, Mary again flirted with a 2-0 lead. This time, Lang denied a point blank shot at the 6-yard box by Brad Kelly after a 62nd-minute free kick.
 
"Cody's such a comfort and confidence for our guys knowing he's back there. There's so much trust in him and he's got great coverage for our backs," Collings said. "He certainly came up big tonight. Our defense has only give up two goals in six games and he's a big reason why."
 
Lang was credited with four saves while his Mary counterpart, Michael Frenzel, had one.
 
SPU outshot the hosts 17-13, including a 4-3 edge during the two, 10-minute overtime sessions. Jordan Kollars nearly ended the game in the 105th minute on a corner kick that was curving toward the upper right corner before Mary defender Christoffer Nogueira headed it off the goal line.
 
The Falcons remain in the Midwest to play at South Dakota School of Mines on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. Pacific Times.
 
The next home game for the SPU men is Oct. 2 at 4:30 p.m. against Western Washington.
 
 
NCAA MEN'S SOCCER
Thursday, Sept. 25, 2014
Community Bowl/Bismarck, N.D.
 
#10 Seattle Pacific 2, at U-Mary 1 (2ot)
 
Scoring – 1, MARY, Jordan Pearce (Jack West, Brad Kelly), 36:53. 2, SPU, Danny Olivas (Sean Russell), 70:09. 3, SPU, Jordan Thompson (Danny Olivas), 109:11.
 
Shots – SPU 17, MARY 13.
Saves – SPU 4 (Cody Lang), MARY 3 (Michael Frenzel 1, Team 2).
Corner Kicks – SPU 10, MARY 5.
Fouls – SPU 7, MARY 13.
Offsides – SPU 1, MARY 0.
 
Records
Seattle Pacific 5-0-1, 2-0-0 GNAC
U-Mary 2-1-1, 1-1-0 GNAC
 
Next SPU Men's Game
Seattle Pacific at South Dakota Mines
Saturday, Sept. 27, 6:30 p.m. PDT
Sioux Park Stadium / Rapid City, S.D.