BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Second-half goals by Judah Johnston and Alex Mejia on Thursday powered seventh-ranked Seattle Pacific past Western Washington, 2-0, in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference men's soccer matchup at Harrington Field.
 
The Falcons (10-1-0) registered their seventh straight win and improved their perfect league ledger to 4-0-0. They secured the program's first double-digit win season since 2017.
 
SPU is in the midst of the school's best men's soccer start in seven seasons, dating back to the 2014 team whose only blemish through a comparable 11-game stretch was a tie. That squad went undefeated (14-0-1) through its first 15 games.
 
A scramble in the goalmouth produced the first goal, at 60:13. A Falcons cross from the right flank caromed high off a defender's head and goalkeeper Brandon Locke was unable to catch it in traffic. He got a glove to the ball, but fell down in the process. An opportunistic Johnston raced to the loose ball and knocked it into the open goal from two yards out for his third score of the season.

JUDAH JOHNSTON GOAL

The sophomore forward has been extremely productive lately, netting a goal in three of the last four outings. Johnston picked up a point in each of those four contests, distributing an assist in the one game in which he didn't score.
 
His senior linemate at forward, Mejia, has been productive all season. Mejia collected the ball in the right edge of the box and split two defenders on the dribble before slotting a low shot past the onrushing goalkeeper and inside the far post with 40 seconds left to play.
 
Honored as the GNAC Offensive Player of the Week on Monday after a hat trick in the last outing, Mejia increased his league-leading total to 12 goals. He is listed among the NCAA Division II leaders in scoring, ranking fifth entering the game but trailing the national leader by just two goals.

ALEX MEJIA GOAL

SPU senior goalkeeper Lars Helleren stopped four shots, two of them in spectacular fashion, en route to his fifth clean sheet. He has seven career shutouts.
 
Locke was credited with eight saves for the Vikings, who were doubled by SPU in the shot count, 22-11.
 
SECOND HALF SUMMARY
The two goals were not the only action in an eventful second half that saw both offenses become more aggressive.
 
In the 49th minute Johnston drove a low, 25-yard shot that Locke dove to his right to smother at the top of the 6-yard box. Five minutes later, SPU defender Nick Reierson tried a shot from the right side of the box that carried over the crossbar.
 
Western's Teagan Eldridge nearly plucked the ball away from Helleren in the 59th minute, but the Falcons goalkeeper somehow managed to clear it out of his goalmouth without getting it blocked.
 
The Vikings created some dangerous chances in search of an equalizer.
 
Gus Diehl lined a 23-yard attempt toward the top left corner that required a full-extension dive from Helleren to parry the ball away for a corner kick.
 
LARS HELLEREN SAVE

Eldridge nearly found a goal in the 69th minute with a left-footed first-timer near the 12-yard spot. Helleren quickly dove to his right to push the ball away from his goalmouth.
 
FIRST HALF SUMMARY
The Falcons controlled the run of play for most of the opening 45 minutes and compiled a 9-2 shot advantage, but were unable to breach the goal.
 
The first shot by either team came 6:14 into the contest when Mejia first-timed a right-side cross from the top of the 6-yard box. His attempt went right at the goalkeeper.
 
Two minutes later the second shot was fired, off the foot of the Falcons Alden Massey. It was blocked at the right post by goalkeeper Locke for a corner kick. Massey had another attempt on the ensuing set piece, but is sailed high.
 
SPU notched six straight shots before their hosts mustered an attempt.
 
Gilbert De La Luz put a shot just over the crossbar from 19 yards out at 14:53 for the Vikings first shot.
 
NEXT GAME
The Seattle Pacific men remain on the road for a trip to Canada on Saturday. They visit Burnaby, B.C. for a 7:00 p.m. clash with Simon Fraser.
 
NCAA MEN'S SOCCER
Thursday, October 14, 2021
Harrington Field / Bellingham, Wash.
 
(#7) Seattle Pacific 2, at Western Washington 0
 
Scoring – 1, SPU, Judah Johnston (unassisted), 60:13; 2, SPU, Alex Mejia (unassisted), 89:20.
 
                          1   2  --  TOTAL
Seattle Pacific           0   2  --    2
Western Washington        0   0  --    0
 
Shots – SPU 22, WWU 11.
Shots on Goal – SPU 11, WWU 4.
Saves – SPU 4 (Lars Helleren), WWU 9 (Brandon Locke 8, team 1).
Corner Kicks – SPU 11, WWU 3.
Fouls – SPU 22, WWU 14.
Offsides – SPU 1, WWU 1.
 
Records
Seattle Pacific 10-1-0, 4-0-0 GNAC
Western Washington 4-7-0, 2-2-0 GNAC
 
Next SPU Men's Soccer Game
(#7) Seattle Pacific at Simon Fraser
Saturday, October 16, 7:00 p.m. PDT
Terry Fox Field / Burnaby, B.C.