SEATTLE – Stephen Murray knocked in a rebound from the goalmouth in the 89th minute Wednesday, lifting Saint Martin's to a 2-1 men's soccer win that spoiled Seattle Pacific's season-opening game at Interbay Stadium.
 
The Falcons (0-1-0) were playing for the first time in 496 days, dating to Nov. 16, 2019. The extended time off was necessitated by the COVID outbreak that forced the postponement of their traditional fall season.
 
"It was great to be back and for the guys to get a taste of what GNAC soccer is really like," exclaimed Mark Collings, who begins his 13th season the SPU head coach. "It's really difficult to grind and there's an intensity to every game that's hard to replicate in training. As much as the guys pushed themselves and worked in practice, you can't replace a game."
 
The Saints (1-1-1) scored just 1-minute, 22-seconds into Wednesday's contest, on an open-goal finish by Jason Fairhurst, and netted the game winner with 1:35 left in regulation.
 
In between those goals by the visitor, the Falcons' Sam Malloch delivered a well-placed, 16th-minute free kick inside the left post.
 
"I don't think you can hit it much better than he did. It was a heck of a finish and a just reward for how we had been playing at that point," Collings said. "We did a decent job in the first half of creating a lot of opportunities, but unfortunately couldn't get another one to go.
 
SAM MALLOCH FREE KICK GOAL

"Our response to giving up a goal early, on an unfortunate error, was great. The last 30 minutes of the first half we were very good. But goals change games and they scored the goal to change the game."
 
SPU compiled a 14-9 advantage in the shots category, but was unable to convert several near-misses.
 
Both goalkeepers were credited with three saves with SMU's Hunter Askland recording one in the first half and two in the second.
 
SPU's Lars Helleren made all three of his saves after halftime, including an 80th minute kick-save off a shot by Arjun Gill that preserved the 1-1 tie. A 70th-minute header by Jose Marquez forced Helleren to dive to his right to keep the ball out of the net, keeping the score at 1-1.
 
The deciding score came immediately after Helleren made his third save, off a shot by Brian Licona. His parry dropped to the ground in front of the goal, setting up Murray for the easy tap-in at 88:25.
 
LARS HELLEREN SAVE

The Saints got on the board just 1:22 into the contest when Fairhurst found the vacated goal from just outside the box on the left side. A long ball by Marquez from the defensive half was flicked on just past midfield toward the left flank by David Settle.
 
That header freed Fairhurst, enabling him to evade Helleren, who was tripped by a teammate while rushing outside the box to the ball. Fairhurst directed a low, 20-yard shot inside the left post from just outside the box.
 
A brilliant free kick by Malloch evened the score, 1-1, at 15:33. The Saints Nathan McLellan was whistled for a foul at the top of the box. Malloch spotted the ball 26 yards from the goal and sent a low strike inside the left post.
 
SPU continued to pressure the Saints goal, but found no joy. Jake Ferry's point-blank header in the 32nd minute was high, barely missing the crossbar. Musa Ali attempted a long, 35th-minute free kick that found the range, but sailed just high.
 
The Falcons earned a free kick in the 87th minute from a similar location that produced the team's first goal. Malloch stood on the ball, which sent a defender scurrying to take a position at the left post to deny a repeat. Instead, Ali booted the free kick on target, but it was collected by Askland. That proved to be SPU's final attempt of the game.
 
Wednesday was the first opportunity to see the Seattle Pacific newcomers in a game setting. Seven players made their debuts for the Falcons, including freshman Evan Aune who started on defense. The others were Donovahn Allen, Cade Cooke, Owen Gortner, Judah Johnston, Aidan Zadrozny and Joey Van Horn.
 
Coach Collings substituted liberally, allowing nine non-starters to see playing time.
 
"We believe in every guy on our team and the way you can show the belief is to give them an opportunity to play. Young, old, it doesn't matter, they need to play games, to get experience and understand what it's like.
 
"I'm not saying we're not trying to win, we're going to try to win every single game. But, we need to make sure that every guy is prepared for the championship segment next fall. Part of that is that we have to learn how to win these games. No excuses, Saint Martin's won the game today. So we have to figure that out, and that's as much on the coaches as it is the players."
 
The SPU men remain at home to host Pacific Lutheran on Saturday for a 4 p.m. clash at Interbay Stadium. Fans are not allowed to attend Falcons home games.

NCAA MEN'S SOCCER
Wednesday, March 24, 2021
Interbay Stadium / Seattle, Wash.
 
Saint Martin's 2, at Seattle Pacific 1
 
Scoring – 1, SMU, Jason Fairhurst (David Settle, Jose Marquez), 1:22; 2, SPU, Sam Malloch (free kick), 15:33; 3, SMU, Stephen Murray (unassisted), 88:25.
 
                       1   2  --  TOTAL
Saint Martin's         1   1  --    2
Seattle Pacific        1   0  --    1
 
Shots – SMU 9, SPU 14.
Shots on Goal – SMU 5, SPU 4.
Saves – SMU 3 (Hunter Askland), SPU 3 (Lars Helleren).
Corner Kicks – SMU 2, SPU 7.
Fouls – SMU 14, SPU 13.
Offsides – SMU 1, SPU 2.
 
Records
Saint Martin's 1-1-1
Seattle Pacific 0-1-0
 
Next SPU Men's Soccer Game
Pacific Lutheran at Seattle Pacific
Saturday, March 27, 4:00 p.m. PDT
Interbay Stadium / Seattle, Wash.