Box Score    |     • VIDEO: Keenan  dePinna

SEATTLE – The Falcons are closing in on another conference championship. But Coach Mark Collings has his sights set on a different goal.
 
Bryson Pavel and Keenan dePinna each scored a goal and ninth-ranked Seattle Pacific held on Thursday to defeat the University of Mary 2-1 in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference men's soccer game at Interbay Stadium.
 
SPU won captured the conference crown last season and can secure at least a tie for this year's title with a win at home on Saturday.
 
The defending champion Falcons (12-1-3) improved to 8-1-3 in league play. They have 27 points and maintained a three-point lead in the standings over Simon Fraser with two games left to play.
 
"Being in first and controlling your own destiny is a lot better than being in second or third and having to hope for a negative result from someone else" said Collings. "The fact that we control what happens here down the stretch is great.
 
"But, the motivation for us is that we want to get into the NCAA Tournament. That's ultimately our goal every year. To give ourselves the best opportunity to be in the tournament it's going to involve winning games and another win does that. The cherry on top is that if we keep winning games we'll win a GNAC championship."


 
Pavel (Boise, Idaho) put the SPU ahead 1-0 at 19:22 with a forceful header from the center of the box that carried just under the crossbar. The senior defender's third goal of the season was set up by a corner kick from Jordan Kollars (Central Kitsap HS).
 
"A great ball by Kollars and a really good finish by Pavel," Collings said. "Pavel's had a lot of good looks on our set pieces this year. It was nice for him to finish one. It gives him a little bit of confidence here as we progress in the season."
 
The Falcons defense prevented the visitors from attempting a shot during the first half, forging an 8-0 lead in that category.
 
Junior forward dePinna (Portland, Ore.) netted the Falcons second goal, 10 minutes into the second half. He gathered a loose ball and curved a 25-yard shot into the upper right corner for his second goal of the year.
 
"We were sitting on the bench thinking he was going to pass it and then he smacks one home. That was a great finish by him," Collings exclaimed. "Where we are right now, we need to find some scoring from some different guys. So if we can get Keenan hot that would be really helpful."
 
The Marauders (3-12-1) dropped to 2-10-0 in GNAC play. They made it interesting late, after Alex Boyes scored at 77:48 on a six-yard header from a corner kick by Christoffer Nogueira.
 
Mary got two shots at an equalizer. Nogueira's 83rd-minute attempt was saved by Cody Lang, and Jordan Pearce sent a long shot wide to the left with 26 seconds remaining.
 
Lang (Spokane, Wash./Lewis & Clark HS) collected two saves.
 
Ludvig Rhodin was credited with five saves for the Marauders, who were outshot 19-5.
 
"Credit to Mary, they didn't pack it up once we went up 2-0," Collings said. "They fought back and made it interesting at the end.
 
"We knocked the ball pretty well in the first half, but I just didn't feel like we played with a lot of purpose. We did enough tonight, but we certainly need to be a lot better moving forward."
 
The Falcons remain home for their final two regular-season games. They entertain Montana State Billings on Saturday at 4 p.m. as the nightcap of a soccer doubleheader with the women's team, who kick-off at 1:30 p.m.
 
The SPU men complete their schedule on Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. against Saint Martin's.
 
 
NCAA MEN'S SOCCER
Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015
Interbay Stadium / Seattle, Wash.
 
at (#9) Seattle Pacific 2, U-Mary 1
 
Scoring – 1, SPU, Bryson Pavel (Jordan Kollars), 19:22; 2, SPU, Keenan dePinna, 55:12; 3, UM, Alex Boyes (Christoffer Nogueira), 77:48.
 
Shots – UM 5, SPU 19.
Saves – UM 5 (Ludvig Rhodin), SPU 2 (Cody Lang).
Corner kicks – UM 2, SPU 10.
Fouls – UM 6, SPU 5.
Offsides – UM 1, SPU 2.
 
Records
Seattle Pacific 12-1-3, 8-1-3 GNAC
U-Mary 3-12-1, 2-10-0 GNAC
 
Next SPU Men's Game
Montana State Billings at Seattle Pacific
Saturday, Oct. 31, 4:00 p.m.
Interbay Stadium / Seattle, Wash.