CHICO, Calif. – Titus Grant headed home the lone score eight minutes into overtime Saturday, netting a golden goal that lifted Seattle Pacific to a 1-0 men's soccer non-conference victory over Chico State at University Soccer Stadium.
 
The Falcons (2-0) retained their perfect record on the season-opening road trip under interim head coach Kevin Sakuda. They commenced the campaign on Thursday with a 2-1 win at Sonoma State.
 
The teams were scoreless through 90 minutes as stellar goalkeeping kept both offenses at bay. SPU senior Lars Helleren collected six saves during regulation and his Wildcats counterpart, Luis Albarran, had five.
 
Each faced one shot on target during the 10-minute overtime period and Helleren stopped his challenge for his seventh save of the game. He denied a shot by Chico's Connor Gorrien just 1-minute, 25-seconds in the extra session.

 

Helleren picked up the third shutout of his career for the Falcons, who did not blank any of six opponents against last season's abbreviated schedule.
 
Albarran was unable to corral Grant's header that halted the game at 98:08.
 
Travis Swallow set up the goal-scoring situation with a cross from the right edge of the box to the top of the 6-yard area. Grant headed the ball down and it bounced off the turf and into the right side of the goal.
 
That was the first score of the season for the senior forward and the 25th of his career. Grant tallied his ninth career game-winning strike.
 
Chico State (1-1-0) had its record leveled after defeating Western Washington 1-0 at home on Thursday.
 
The Seattle Pacific men host their home opener on Sept. 16 versus Regis University from Denver, Colorado. Kick-off is 7 p.m. at Interbay Stadium.
 
THROW-INS
• Three Falcons defenders were on the field for all 99 minutes: Evan Aune, Nik Reierson and Ed Weise.
 
• Alex Mejia, who scored both SPU goals Thursday, attempted three shots Saturday and two of them were on frame.
 
• With the win, the Falcons evened their all-time series record with Chico State at 21-21-3.
 
NCAA MEN'S SOCCER
Saturday, September 4, 2021
University Soccer Stadium / Chico, Calif.
 
Seattle Pacific 1, at Chico State 0 (ot)
 
Scoring – 1, SPU, Titus Grant (Travis Swallow), 98:08.
 
                       1   2  OT  --  TOTAL
Seattle Pacific        0   0   1  --    1
Chico State            0   0   0  --    0
 
Shots – SPU 10, Chico 12.
Shots on Goal – SPU 6, Chico 7.
Saves – SPU 7 (Lars Helleren), Chico 5 (Luis Albarran).
Corner Kicks – SPU 9, Chico 4.
Fouls – SPU 10, Chico 11.
Offsides – SPU 0, Chico 2.
 
Records
Seattle Pacific 2-0-0
Chico State 1-1-0
 
Next SPU Men's Soccer Game
Regis at Seattle Pacific
Thursday, September 16, 7:00 p.m.
Interbay Stadium / Seattle, Wash.