• FINAL STATS   |   • PHOTO GALLERY

SEATTLE – Matteo Polisi compiled three goals and an assist Saturday, leading No. 1-ranked Simon Fraser to a 6-1 men's soccer triumph over Seattle Pacific in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference game at Interbay Stadium.
 
Polisi scored in the 28th minute and converted a penalty kick three minutes into the second half. He completed the hat trick with a goal in the 64th minute, his league-leading 13th score of the season.
 
Teammate Connor Glennon scored twice to push his season total to 12 goals and Mamadi Camara has seven scores. They are the top-three goal scorers in the GNAC.
 
"Going forward they are definitely a lot to deal with," SPU coach Mark Collings said. "They have two guys with double-digit goals and a third right there. Those three are as good as advertised.
 
"Unfortunately you have days like this and tonight it was against a really, really good team, and so therefore the score line is what it is."
 
Simon Fraser (11-0-0), the two-time defending GNAC champion, remained undefeated and improved to 5-0-0 in GNAC games.
 
The Falcons (6-6-0) fell to 2-3-0 in conference action. They surrendered the most goals since a 6-4 overtime loss to Oakland in the 1994 NCAA Division II Tournament semifinals. It was an opponent's highest total in regulation since Chico State beat the Falcons 8-1 in the first round of the 1971 NCAA playoffs.
 
A wonderful goal by SPU sophomore Titus Grant spoiled the shutout. He broke free on a dribbling run down the left side and curved a 26-yard laser to the upper left corner of the goal at 52:08. Goalkeeper Luciano Trasolini had no chance on the goal that was only the fourth conceded this season by the Clan.
 
"Titus caused them problems all night," said Collings. "He ended up making something out of nothing. He was one-v-four maybe and ends up hitting an absolute smash into the back of the net. He has that ability and hopefully we can get that more often."

 

Grant leads the Falcons with seven goals. He scored twice in Thursday's 4-1 home win over UMary.
 
Saturday's game was evenly played for the opening 16 minutes with the visitors owning a slim 3-2 edge in shots, but neither of their early attempts were on frame. The Falcons had the better quality chances with both shots heading directly on goal, requiring saves from Trasolini.
 
Reid Baez fired a quick, 12-yard shot in the eighth minute that was saved at the left post by Trasolini. In the 16th minute Travis Swallow directed a header at goal that was easily collected by the Simon Fraser goalkeeper.
 
"The hard part for us is we came out and were playing pretty well. The first 15 minutes were pretty even, actually," Collings described. "We've just had too many moments this year where we turn off for a period of time and the reason that they're undefeated is they punish you for your mistakes.
 
"Every mistake we made tonight we felt like we got punished for and that's what good teams do to you. Our kids played hard, the game plan was right, but when it came down to execution they were clearly better."
 
The Clan broke the game open midway through the first half with a trio of goals during an eight-minute span.
 
Rahid Rahiem started the scoring at 19:09 on a left-footed tap-in from inside the 6-yard box. From the right flank Polisi sent a low pass across the goalmouth that barely evaded SPU keeper Lars Helleren before finding Rahiem in front of the open net.
 
At 21:41 Camara chipped a cross from the left-side endline that found Glennon for a seven-yard header near the right post.
 
Polisi netted his first goal at 27:11. His initial attempt was blocked by Helleren, but the ball rebounded back to Polisi for an open-goal effort from inside the 6-yard box.
 
"I was disappointed that after we gave up the first goal a little bit of panic set in and we started to change what we were doing," said Collings. "We've got to learn to stay the course and the only way you can do that is by really encouraging the guys and staying positive.
 
"We lost to a good team tonight, but that doesn't mean we need to panic and change what we've been doing. We've been on a decent run lately."
 
SPU saw its three-game winning streak halted.
 
The 3-0 score line held into halftime Saturday, but not much longer. Camara was fouled in the box and Polisi placed the ensuing penalty kick low to the left side at 47:29.
 
After Grant's 53rd-minute strike for SPU, the Clan tacked on two more goals.
 
Polisi's third tally came on an eight-yard finish at 63:52 that was set up by a long cross into the goalmouth by Camara.
 
As they did on the second goal, Glennon and Camara teamed up again to complete the scoring at 81:32. Camara's low cross through the box set Glennon up for an easy four-yard finish.
 
Simon Fraser led the shot count by a 17-8 margin and had a 9-5 edge in shots on goal.
 
Helleren finished with three saves for the hosts and Trasolini denied four SPU attempts.
 
The Falcons continue their current six-game homestand with a pair of contests next week at Interbay Stadium. They host Western Washington on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. as the opener of a soccer doubleheader with the women, who play at 7 p.m.
 
Next Saturday, the SPU men entertain Northwest Nazarene at 7 p.m.
 
NCAA MEN'S SOCCER
Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018
Interbay Stadium / Seattle, Wash.
 
(#1) Simon Fraser 6, at Seattle Pacific 1
 
Scoring – 1, SF, Rahid Rahiem (Matteo Polisi, Connor Glennon), 19:09; 2, SF, Glennon (Mamadi Camara), 21:41; 3, SF, Polisi (unassisted), 27:11; 4, SF, Polisi (PK), 47:29; 5, SPU, Titus Grant (Reid Baez), 52:08; 6, SF, Polisi (Camara), 63:52; 7, SF, Glennon (Camara), 81:32.
 
                          1   2  --  TOTAL
Simon Fraser              3   3  --    6
Seattle Pacific           0   1  --    1
 
Shots – SF 17, SPU 8.
Shots on Goal – SF 9, SPU 5.
Saves – SF 4 (Luciano Trasolini), SPU 3 (Lars Helleren).
Corner kicks – SF 6, SPU 8.
Fouls – SF 10, SPU 10.
Offsides – SF 0, SPU 3.
 
Records
Simon Fraser 11-0-0,  5-0-0
Seattle Pacific 6-6-0,  2-3-0 GNAC
 
 
Next SPU Men's Soccer Game
Western Washington at Seattle Pacific
Thursday, Oct. 11, 4:30 p.m. PDT
Interbay Stadium / Seattle, Wash.