HONOLULU – Travis Swallow re-directed a second-half corner kick inside the right post for the decisive goal Monday in 17th-ranked Seattle Pacific's 2-1 non-conference men's soccer win over Hawaii Pacific at Waipio Stadium.
 
Titus Grant swerved the ball from the right corner into the congested area around the near post. Swallow got a first-time foot to the cross and poked it across the goal line at 59:17.
 
That was the second goal of the season for the senior midfielder and his first game-winning strike. Swallow has seven career goals.
 
The Falcons (6-1-0) completed a sweep of their three-game trip to the islands, playing them during a short, six-day span. They were 3-2 overtime victors at Hawaii Hilo on Wednesday and blanked Chaminade, 4-0, on Saturday.
 
"It was a tough one, HPU is a good team," said SPU interim head coach Kevin Sakuda. "It was not our prettiest game by any means, but credit to the guys who showed a lot of fight and found a way to get a result when we weren't necessarily at our best.
 
"We had tired legs for sure with three games in six days, but managed to keep fighting through things."
 
SPU boasts a perfect record in five road games.

TRAVIS SWALLOW GOAL

Alex Mejia started the scoring just over five minutes into the contest with his league-leading seventh goal for the Falcons. He has four more goals than any other GNAC player, including teammates Grant and Alden Massey who have each scored three times.
 
A senior forward from Seattle's Roosevelt High School, Mejia accepted a cross from the right side by Massey. He rose at the top of the 6-yard box and scored on a header high to the center of the HPU goal at 5:12.
 
Mejia is averaging one goal per game and found the back of the net in each of the last five games.
 
"We hope Alex keeps this thing going because he's been great," Sakuda exclaimed. "He is focused, he's driven. He puts in the work off the field and on the field.
 
"Alex does a good job of just putting himself in front of the goal, and he's a handful in the air. We're getting quality service for him and if he gets enough of those, he's going to definitely put some away."
 
SPU tallied the first goal in six of seven games this season and four of them occurred during the opening 20 minutes.
 
Hawaii Pacific (2-4-0) equalized at 32:05. A 20-yard through ball by Gerrit Arzberger from midfield was received on a full sprint by Reece Montgomery, who took one long touch to the top of the box before slipping a shot to the right of onrushing Falcons' goalkeeper Lars Helleren.
 
The teams were level at halftime, 1-1, despite an 8-3 shot advantage by the Falcons.
 
CLOSE CHANCES
The visitors had a prime opportunity for a second goal before the break on a 36th minute free kick from the right flank served to the center of the box. Judah Johnston was at the receiving end of the cross and delivered a hard volley that forced the Sharks goalkeeper to quickly leap and nudge the ball over the crossbar.
 
A similarly stellar save by Helleren preserved the 1-1 tie in the 56th minute. Kyota Hiate lined a hard shot that the SPU keeper went airborne to tip over the top of his goal.
 
That was the lone stop required by Helleren. His counterpart Connor Margo made four saves for the Sharks, who were outshot by a slim 12-10 margin.
 
A late chance to tie by the HPU's Makana Srivongsana, with four minutes remaining, skittered wide to the left of the goal.
 
With positive results in all but one of their outings, the Falcons have their most wins through seven games since the 2014 squad forged the finest start in school history. That team had six victories and a tie at the same juncture en route to an unbeaten record through its first 15 games (14-0-1).
 
NEXT GAME
The Seattle Pacific men return home to open Great Northwest Athletic Conference play versus Montana State Billings on Saturday, Oct. 2. Kick-off is 7:00 p.m. to begin a three-game homestand at Interbay Stadium.
 
NCAA MEN'S SOCCER
Monday, September 27, 2021
Waipio Stadium / Waipahu, Hawaii
 
#17 Seattle Pacific 2, at Hawaii Pacific 1
 
Scoring – 1, SPU, Alex Mejia (Alden Massey), 5:12; 2, HPU, Reece Montgomery (Gerrit Arzberger), 32:05; 3, SPU, Travis Swallow (Titus Grant), 59:17.
 
                        1   2  --  TOTAL
Seattle Pacific         1   1  --    2
Hawaii Pacific          1   0  --    1
 
Shots – SPU 12, HPU 10.
Shots on Goal – SPU 6, HPU 2.
Saves – SPU 1 (Lars Helleren), HPU 4 (Connor Margo).
Corner Kicks – SPU 4, HPU 6.
Fouls – SPU 3, HPU 14.
Offsides – SPU 2, HPU 2.
 
Records
Seattle Pacific 6-1-0
Hawaii Pacific 2-4-0
 
Next SPU Men's Soccer Game
Montana State Billings at Seattle Pacific
Saturday, October 2, 7:00 p.m. PDT
Interbay Stadium / Seattle, Wash.