The Seattle Pacific University men’s soccer team fell in both of their games last week, first to Concordia and then Montana State Billings.
SPU was shutout by Concordia University in a 1-0 loss. Despite the Falcons taking 18 shots, they were unable to put a point on the board. SPU moved on to the MSUB matchup with only four games left in the regular season.
In order to rise through the ranks the Falcons needed a win but unfortunately lost 3-2.
Starting off the game, both SPU, 8-7-0 overall 4-4 conference, and Montana State Billings, 6-7-2 overall 3-4-1 conference, had strong attacks and evenly shared possession of the ball.
Just a few minutes into the game, Ricardo Palomino, who is a forward for MSUB, put a nice shot on goal with a fine header that was saved by the Falcons’ goalkeeper, Lars Helleren.
In the eighth minute, SPU’s forward Titus Grant put a great shot on goal in hopes to get The Falcons ahead early, but the shot was saved by Yellowjackets goalkeeper Ludvig Rhodin.
MSUB struck first on when their own defender, Samuele Folla’s was passed the ball on a long cross and was able to put it past Helleren putting The Yellowjackets on the board 1-0.
After the goal from MSUB, the Falcons were anxious to tie up the game, taking two shots that were high and wide. SPU would eventually tie the game in the 22 minute when a yellow card was called on the Yellowjackets’ Samuele Folla, granting SPU with a free kick from just outside the box. Titus Grant would take the kick and place it under the wall of defenders into the back of the net for his 12th goal of the season.
Shortly after tying the game, MSUB quickly put up another header that was deflected by Lars Helleren to keep SPU’s momentum and the game tied at one. SPU was saved once again when a shot from MSUB’s forward Ricardo Palomino hit the crossbar.
The Yellowjackets scored once more before the end of the half when SPU’s defense did not clear the ball properly, allowing MSUB to possess the ball again and capitalize off the mistake by The Falcons. The goal was scored by MSUB’s Palomino in the 32nd minute. The Falcons desperately wanted to tie the game before the half and get the momentum rolling again, placing multiple shots on goal but not getting past MSUB goalie Ludvig Rhodin.
SPU looked to tie the game early in the second half in hopes of being able to jump out in front and hold the lead. The Falcons’ Titus Grant would quickly place two shots on goal that would be blocked by MSUB’s Rhodin. In the first 14 minutes of the second half, SPU would take six shots while The Yellowjackets had only put up one shot in the same span of time.
Toward the end of the game, MSUB took a two-shot lead when their defender Pascal Pisarek would score his second goal of the season by freezing SPU goalkeeper Helleren with a superb shot in the top right corner of the goal.
The Falcons were unwilling to give up. They kept moving upfield with their strong attacks, finding another goal late in the matchup. The goal was scored by Reid Baez on a header, for his first goal of the season, putting SPU in a good position to tie the game before the end of the second half.
Despite all of SPU’s effort they would fall short to MSUB 3-2 in the last game of the homestand. Seattle Pacific University falls to 8-8-0 on the season and 4-5-0 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. Montana State University Billings would improve to 7-7-2 on the season and 4-4-1 in conference. After the loss, SPU sits in third for their conference and looks to get things back on track.
SPU will be facing Simon Fraser University and Western Washington University on the road before coming back home for the final game of the season against Saint Martin’s University on Nov. 1.
