Box Score    |    Final Stats    |    VIDEO: Coach Mark  Collings

SEATTLE – Sam Malloch scored his first collegiate goal and goalkeeper Cody Lang amassed a career-high10 saves Thursday for the Seattle Pacific men, who held on for a 1-1 double-overtime draw with Montana State Billings in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference soccer clash at Interbay Stadium.
 
The Falcons (2-3-3) fielded a makeshift lineup as four regular starters were out due to a combination of injuries and red-card suspensions. Their winless streak stretched to four games, two of them ties. SPU's league record moved to 0-1-2.
 
"We were short and that's not an excuse. We have plenty of depth in our program, but certainly we had to move some guys to different positions," said SPU coach Mark Collings.
 
 "I'm really proud of our team. We really worked hard tonight against a very good Montana State Billings team. Tonight was a step forward for us, not a win like we'd like to have but certainly it's something that we can build on."



Billings (5-2-2) remained unbeaten in GNAC play with a 1-0-2 mark. The visitors compiled a 26-12 shot advantage, but trailed for 57 minutes before Julien Dragomir netted an equalizer at 67:25.
 
He found a ball that was punched out by Lang, who was forced to come off the goal line to make the play. Dragomir delivered a low, 12-yard shot into the left side of the open goal, just past the outstretched arms of the diving Lang (Spokane, Wash./Lewis & Clark HS).
 
That was the only ball to get by Lang, and even it barely snuck past the senior shot-stopper. His previous high game was an eight-save performance.
 
Lang made several dazzling saves, including consecutive denials on dangerous second-half chances by Ricardo Palomino.
 
The MSUB forward sent a low shot to the left side of the SPU goal in the 72nd minute, but Lang quickly dove parallel to the ground to snag the ball. Six minutes later, Palomino blasted a hard, 16-yard shot from point-blank range, but Lang reacted quickly enough to two-hand punch the ball over the crossbar for a corner kick.
 
"Cody was very good," Collings exclaimed. "To weather 26 shots and Cody having double-digit saves says a lot about Cody, who was able to maintain that focus throughout the 110 minutes."
 
SPU capitalized on a rebound off the crossbar to claim a 1-0 lead, 10:19 into the game. Keenan dePinna hit a shot off the crossbar that rebounded to Malloch (Portland, Ore.) in the goalmouth for the three-yard header.
 
"When you are a young player you are always kind of itching for that first goal and you want to have an impact," Collings said of his rookie goal scorer. "He's had a big impact on our team already, but I think him getting a goal helps validate that for him a little bit."
 
Joe Scott finished with four saves. The Yellowjackets goalkeeper was not officially credited with a save on the play, but stopped a significant goal-scoring chance by SPU's Gabe Kellum seven minutes into overtime. The junior forward broke free on the right flank and raced into the box, but was hurried by the onrushing Scott and sent a shot too high.
 
The Falcons continue their five-game homestand on Saturday, hosting Northwest Nazarene at 7 p.m.
 
"We're at home so that's helpful. Our guys are pretty disciplined and I feel confident that they'll do what they need to do to come back Saturday," Collings said.
 
"With the depth that we've been demonstrating the last few games, I feel confident we've got enough guys to come out and put together a good performance."


NCAA MEN'S SOCCER
Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016
Interbay Stadium / Seattle, Wash.

at Seattle Pacific 1, Montana State Billings 1 (2ot)

                            1   2  OT  OT   --  TOTAL
Montana State Billings      0   1   0   0   --    1
Seattle Pacific             1   0   0   0   --    1

Scoring – 1, SPU, Sam Malloch (Keenan dePinna), 10:19; 2, MSUB, Julien Dragomir, 67:25.

Shots – MSUB 26, SPU 12.
Saves – MSUB 4 (Joe Scott), SPU 10 (Cody Lang).
Corner Kicks – MSUB 10, SPU 4.
Fouls – MSUB 22, SPU 14.
Offsides – MSUB 0, SPU 0.

Records
Seattle Pacific 2-3-3, 0-1-2 GNAC
Montana State Billings 5-2-2, 1-0-2 GNAC

Next SPU Men's Game
Northwest Nazarene at Seattle Pacific
Saturday, October 1, 7:00 p.m.
Interbay Stadium / Seattle, Wash