• FINAL STATS   |   • VIDEO: TREVOR  LEE

SEATTLE – Trevor Lee scored a golden goal with 3:07 left in the final overtime Thursday to give Seattle Pacific a 1-0 win over Northwest Nazarene in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference men's soccer game at Interbay Stadium.
 
"NNU played really well," said SPU coach Mark Collings. "They had a couple chances, but we're really happy to get our first shutout of the year. It came at a great time. Just a great opportunity finish by Trevor in overtime."
 
Lee ended the game at 106:53 on a quick, first-time strike from near the penalty spot that smashed inside the left post. That was the first goal as a Falcon for the sophomore midfielder and it was set up by a low cross from Gabe Kellum on the left flank.
 
"It looked like Gabe Kellum was able to get free out wide left and had a great cut-back," Collings described. "Titus (Grant) made a run to draw the defender with him and that left Trevor all alone in the middle of the box.
 
"That was a great finish. Trevor is probably one of our better finishers actually, as far as ball-striking goes. Today he was able to finish one for us. Great time for the first shutout of the year and his first goal of the year."
 
Junior goalkeeper Kary Whitney was credited with two saves en route to his, and the team's, first clean sheet.
 


The Falcons (8-3-2) improved their conference record to 5-2-1. They picked up the full three points to increase their GNAC total to 16 and move into a first-place tie with Simon Fraser, which has played one fewer game, and Western Washington.
 
Collings was thrilled to achieve the maximum points rather than settling for a single point with a draw.
 
"It's massive. You look at last year we went to overtime six times and didn't win any of them. So to get a win in overtime is just immense when it comes to what our aspirations are for the year."
 
NNU (5-6-1) dropped to 2-4-1 in GNAC play after being swept in the season series by SPU, including a 4-1 loss on Sept. 30 in Nampa, Idaho. The Falcons own a 16-2-6 lead in the all-time series.
 
Jacob Hillyer had four saves for Northwest Nazarene, which battled to a 16-16 draw in the shot count. SPU's attempts were more efficient with five sent directly on goal compared to just two for NNU.
 
The first half was scoreless, but it wasn't bereft of chances. The best opportunity for SPU came in the 11th minute when Jess Cayetano's header from the center edge of the 6-yard box bounded off the right post. That followed a header attempt four minutes earlier by teammate Gabriel Weber that carried just wide right.
 
NNU matched their hosts' six first-half shots, the best being a 25-yard attempt by Edwin Quiroz that sailed just over the crossbar in the 29th minute. In the 38th minute, Keon Jones drove a low shot that was knocked down and then smothered by Whitney.
 
The visitors applied steady offensive pressure in the second half while compiling a 9-5 shot advantage.
 
Grant nearly ended the game with 1:02 left in regulation. The Falcons' freshman forward sprinted on the dribble into the right side of the box and sent a low blast inches wide of the left post.
 
The Falcons dominated the two overtime sessions, outshooting their foe 5-1. Lee could have ended the game 2 1/2 minutes earlier than he did, but after spinning to shoot from the center of the box the ball traveled wide right with 5:32 left to play.
 
"Our guys were able to rally towards the end of the game and then in overtime I thought we were the better team," Collings said.
 
The SPU men remain at home to host Montana State Billings on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. That is the nightcap of an Interbay Stadium doubleheader with the Falcons women, who clash with Billings at 2 p.m.
 
 
NCAA MEN'S SOCCER
Thursday, October 19, 2017
Interbay Stadium / Seattle, Wash.
 
at Seattle Pacific 1, Northwest Nazarene 0 (2ot)
 
Scoring – 1, SPU, Trevor Lee (Gabe Kellum), 106:53.
 
                       1   2  OT  OT  --  TOTAL
Northwest Nazarene     0   0   0   0  --    0
Seattle Pacific        0   0   0   1  --    1
 
Shots – NNU 16, SPU 16.
Shots on Goal – NNU 2, SPU 5.
Saves – NNU 4 (Jacob Hillyer), SPU 2 (Kary Whitney).
Corner Kicks – NNU 3, SPU 1.
Fouls – NNU 9, SPU 14.
Offsides – NNU 1, SPU 4.
 
Records
Northwest Nazarene 5-6-1, 2-4-1 GNAC
Seattle Pacific 9-3-1, 5-2-1 GNAC
 
Next SPU Men's Soccer Game
Montana State Billings at Seattle Pacific
Saturday, Oct. 21, 4:30 p.m. PDT
Interbay Stadium / Seattle, Wash.