SEATTLE - The Seattle Pacific University men's soccer team was searching for their first goal of the season after drawing twice last weekend. Demian Alvarez and Andrew Tran scored their first career goals on penalty kicks, but the Falcons needed one more as they fell 3-2 to the Buffalos.
Alvarez stepped forward as the Falcon that would take the penalty kick after being tripped up in the box by Ricardo Castillo. As the Buffalo keeper dove left, Alvarez punched one through the right side to give the Falcons an early 1-0 lead. The goal was the first of his career.
In the 80th minute, the Falcons stepped up for another penalty kick. This time, Tran knocked home the chance. Like Alvarez, the goal was the first in Tran's tenure with the Falcons.
"I think it's good, overall for the confidence," head coach Kevin Sakuda said. "It's great to get two shutouts, but we were missing a little in that final third. It was great to get two goals tonight. Demian has a unique skill set in his attacking ability. He was able to draw the penalty and scored it. Andrew is a goal-scorer. We got some minutes out of him, and he stepped up when we needed him."
West Texas A&M entered the season ranked 17th in the country on the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Top 25. They brought their fast, physical play style to Interbay. The visitors outshot the Falcons 22-12, with eight being on goal.
"Credit to West Texas, they're a good group that is mature with special players, and we knew it was going to be a challenge," Sakuda said. "In the second half, we started to find a rhythm, but if you give a good team like that too many opportunities, you get punished for it. Overall, it's about our response by going to Colorado and getting results there."
After trailing 1-0, the Buffalos had a chance to answer with their penalty kick. Anthony Perea snuck one past Lars Helleren to tie the game at 1-1 in the 41st minute.
The Buffalos took the lead in the 61st minute when Giancarlo Saldana converted on a pass from Payne McKiver. WT added insurance in the 68th minute on a goal from Denis Herrera that just made it in the upper middle part of the goal after clearing a two-man wall by the Falcons.
The Falcons travel to Denver for games against Regis and Colorado School of Mines on Thursday and Saturday respectively.
