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• VIDEO: 50 Years of SPU Soccer Ceremony
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SEATTLE – Freshman forward Alden Massey completed a hat trick inside the opening 43 minutes Saturday for Seattle Pacific, which did all of its scoring before halftime of a 5-0 non-conference men's soccer triumph over Hawaii Hilo at Interbay Stadium.
 
It took less than three minutes for Massey to net the game's first two goals and his third came at 42:19. Mario Vukic and Alex Mejia also found the goal before halftime for the Falcons (3-3), who notched a third consecutive win to even their record.
 
"We just came out and executed at a really high level. We're a few minutes into the game and you look up and there are already two goals," exclaimed SPU coach Mark Collings.
 
The game culminated a weekend of festivities celebrating 50 years of Seattle Pacific soccer. Several events were conducted for numerous soccer alums. The former players were featured in a ceremony at intermission.
 
Before Those former Falcons took the field at halftime, they were treated to a first-half scoring spree.
 
"It was really remarkable to see the response with everything that's gone on the past couple days. You just don't know how a team's going to react," said Collings, who played for the Falcons from 1995-98, served five years as an assistant on the staff and is now in his 11th season as head coach.
 
"Boy, we were ready for the challenge. Before Hilo could even get settled in we put a lot of pressure on them."
 


A product of Cedarcrest High School in Duvall, Washington, Massey had not scored in his first five college games. He rapidly rectified that with a pair of early goals.
 
SPU sophomore Titus Grant stole the ball deep in Hilo territory and dribbled toward the endline before sending a low pass across the goalmouth. Massey slid to tap the ball into the goal at 1:32.
 
At 2:55, Massey gathered a loose ball, took a touch and unleashed an 18-yard shot into the Vulcans goal.
 
At 15:01, Sam Rucklos and Titus Grant combined on passes to set up Mario Vukic for the third SPU goal. The 15-yard strike was the first career goal for the freshman forward from Bainbridge (Wash.) High School.
 
The Falcons continued to apply pressure and twice struck the crossbar before hitting paydirt for a fourth time, at 39:08. Alex Mejia (Roosevelt HS) found the goal with a short tap-in off Jake Ferry's low cross from the left flank.
 
Massey finished his hat trick in the 43rd minute. He picked off a defender's clearance and punched it in from just inside the top of the box.
 
"He's just been getting better and better from game one until, now, game six," Collings said. "Alden has been close to finishing and he had a couple assists already this year. He's definitely an attacking presence and he was definitely feeling it tonight."
 
Massey's was the first three-goal performance by an SPU men's soccer player since Stephen MacDonald accomplished the trick versus Metro State on Sept. 10, 2016.

 

Senior goalkeeper Kary Whitney was not required to make a save while recording the first shutout of the season for the Falcons, who dominated the shot count by a 23-4 margin.
 
"Really we haven't been that bad defensively, we've given the ball away in bad areas, we got caught in transition. It's just been a bit of lack of discipline," Collings described of previous outings.
 
"It was a real professional performance tonight by the guys in both halves. We kept our shape and discipline and denied any real scoring threats for them."
 
Nick Williams stopped six shots in 63 minutes in goal for the Vulcans (1-2-0) before being replaced by Selvin Sandoval.
 
Seattle Pacific is the most decorated program in NCAA Division II men's soccer history with five national championships to show for it, in 1978, 1983, 1985, 1986 and 1993. The SPU men own national records for consecutive winning seasons (37 form 1972-2007), total playoff berths (34) and championship game appearances (10).
 
The current cast of Falcons showed Saturday that they are capable of adding their own chapter to the storied history of SPU soccer.
 
"I'm pleased for our guys. For them to have this stage and to respond the way they did in front of all the guys that built the platform that we get to enjoy is massive," said Collings. "For the alums to see a good brand of soccer is great too, that's important.
 
"Most of all, for our guys to respond the way they did and for us to battle back from a rough start to the season, to be where were are now heading into conference play, that's what I'm most excited about. We have a lot of confidence right now and I really like the form that we're in."
 
The Falcons start Great Northwest Athletic Conference play next week, traveling to Nampa, Idaho for the first of four consecutive road games. They clash with Northwest Nazarene on Thursday at 3 p.m. Pacific Time and then play at Concordia (Ore.) on Saturday.
 
The next home game for SPU is Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. against U-Mary. That starts a stretch of six straight games at Interbay Stadium.
 
 
NCAA MEN'S SOCCER
Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018
Interbay Stadium / Seattle, Wash.
 
at Seattle Pacific 5, Hawaii Hilo 0
 
Scoring – 1, SPU, Alden Massey (Titus Grant), 1:32; 2, SPU, Massey (unassisted), 2:55; 3, SPU, Mario Vukic (Sam Rucklos, Grant), 15:01; 4, SPU, Alex Mejia (Jake Ferry), 39:08; 5, SPU, Massey (unassisted), 42:19.
 
                          1   2  --  TOTAL
Hawaii Hilo               0   0  --    0
Seattle Pacific           5   0  --    5
 
Shots – HILO 4, SPU 23.
Shots on Goal – HILO 0, SPU 11.
Saves – HILO 6 (Nick Williams 6, Selvin Sandoval 0), SPU 0 (Kary Whitney).
Corner kicks – HILO 2, SPU 6.
Fouls – HILO 19, SPU 12.
Offsides – HILO 2, SPU 10.
 
Records
Hawaii Hilo 1-2-0
Seattle Pacific 3-3-0
 
 
Next SPU Men's Soccer Game
Seattle Pacific at Northwest Nazarene
Thursday, Sept. 20, 3:00 p.m. PDT
NNU Soccer Field / Nampa, Idaho