NAMPA, Idaho – The 10
th-ranked Seattle Pacific University men's soccer team opened Great Northwest Athletic Conference play on the road against Northwest Nazarene on Thursday afternoon when the host Nighthawks erased a 2-0 deficit to upset the Falcons 3-2.
FROM THE COACH
"I think we are all disappointed in the result and feel like we let that one slip," head coach
Kevin Sakuda said. "We put ourselves in a great position but didn't manage the game well enough. You give a good team like NNU enough chances, and they are going to punish you. Got to give them credit; they didn't quit. It's a tough lesson to learn, but we will grow from this and be better for it."
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Falcons took the lead with two minutes remaining in the first half when Sebastian Rangel lofted a beautiful ball into the box that was headed into the back of the net by Harper Sabari.
- Sabari's goal helped the Falcons carry a 1-0 lead into halftime.
- In the 50th minute of the match, David Ochoa netted a goal that put the Falcons up 2-0.
- The Nighthawks answered quickly, as Caleb Putney scored his team's first goal of the match in the 52nd minute.
- Putney wasn't finished, as Jim Wagenaar set up Putney's second goal of the match in the 67th minute.
- With the score tied 2-2, NNU's Rylan McPherson weaved through the SPU defense before firing a shot into the back of the net in what proved to be the game-winning goal.
FROM THE BOX SCORE
- The Falcons finished the match with eight shots, seven of which came in the second half.
- Of those eight shots, five were on goal for the Falcons.
- JJ Diaz and Ochoa led the Falcons with two shots each.
- Both of Ochoa's shots were on goal.
- Willem Ficek played 90 minutes in goal for the Falcons, facing five shots on goal while making two saves.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Sabari's goal was his second of the season for the Falcons.
- Ochoa's goal was his second of the season for the Falcons.
- Rangel recorded his third assist of the season on Thursday.
- Straight's assist was his second of the season for the Falcons.
UP NEXT
The Falcons take the weekend off before returning to action on Oct. 1 on the road against Simon Fraser.
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