MSUB Men's Soccer Recap 10/8/15

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Thursday, October 8, 2015 Yellowjacket men fall to No. 18 SPU 3-1

SPU scores twice in the span of 13 seconds in the second half, building its lead to 3-0 and preventing MSUB from making a comeback in a 3-1 loss Thursday.

BILLINGS, Mont. – Two goals in a span of 13 seconds during the second half highlighted a 3-1 victory for visiting Seattle Pacific University over the Montana State University Billings men’s soccer team on Thursday at Yellowjacket Field in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference match.

Ian Adams and Mori Tsuchiya scored for the No. 18 Falcons to instantly grow their team’s lead from 1-0 to 3-0, and seal the victory. Bryson Pavel scored the first goal for SPU in the 17th minute, and Daragh Kavanagh scored MSUB’s lone goal in the 80th minute off of a set piece service by Julian Toenges.

MSUB (4-3-3, 2-2-2 GNAC) had 13 shots on the match but managed just four on target. The Falcons (7-1-2, 3-1-2 GNAC) took 14 shots and placed six on frame. SPU also held an 8-4 advantage in corner kicks, and the Falcons had 13 fouls compared with a dozen by the ‘Jackets.

Fernando Perez took the first shot of the game for the ‘Jackets seven minutes in, but his one-time volley effort from the top of the box missed left of the goal frame.

The Falcons earned a dangerous free kick opportunity 15 minutes into the match, as a foul by MSUB led to a set piece from 25 yards out in the center of the field. The shot attempt was not on target, as the game remained scoreless early on.

SPU capitalized shortly thereafter however, as a corner kick by Jordan Kollars led to the first goal. Chaz Jenkins initially took a shot off of the cross, and after it was blocked Pavel pushed the rebound into the net from five yards in front of the goal to make it 1-0 SPU. With 7:30 to play before halftime, the ‘Jackets had their best opportunity of the game to that point on a corner kick.

Thiago Novis whipped in a tight cross, but a shot by Ricardo Palomino from point-blank range missed high. Moments later, the two players connected again on a pass into the box, but Palomino’s shot towards the upper corner grazed the top of the net as it was again off target.

MSUB keeper Tom Lohmann came off his line strongly on two straight corner kicks to open the second half catching one and punching the other out of danger.

The game was evenly matched to start the second half, but SPU struck quickly with its next two goals. Adams received a cross from Gabe Kellum on the right side of the field, and finished the ball past Lohmann with one touch to double SPU’s lead. Just 13 seconds later, Tsuchiya received a through ball from Kellum and tucked a top-class finish inside the right upper-corner of the goal to make the Falcons’ lead insurmountable.

The Yellowjackets refused to give up, keeping the pressure on offensively and breaking through in the 80th minute on Kavanagh’s first career goal. After a foul by the Falcons on the left side of the field, Toenges curled a perfect cross inside the six-yard box and watched as Kavanagh ran onto it and kicked it into the back of the net.

MSUB failed to find the net the rest of the way, as SPU closed out its seventh victory of the season. Junior Cody Lang made three saves for the Falcons, as did Lohmann for the Yellowjackets.

“Our team didn’t come out ready to play in the first half,” said MSUB head coach Alex Balog. “I don’t feel that we left everything on the field today. Unfortunately SPU was more ready to play than we were today. It’s time for us to get back to playing the way we know we can, and to get some confidence back. Hopefully we can start doing that on Saturday against Saint Martin’s.”

Kavanagh was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game for scoring his first-ever goal in the navy and gold.

Palomino, the GNAC’s leader in goals (11), was limited to two shot in the match by the Falcons’ back line.

“I’d like to recognize our captain Rhys Lambert,” Balog said. “Today he was one of the few players who, when he stepped onto the field, played with intensity. Daragh Kavanagh also deserves a pat on the back for scoring his first collegiate goal.”

NEXT UP: MSUB will host GNAC opponent Saint Martin’s University on Saturday, with a 3 p.m. kickoff scheduled at Yellowjacket Field.

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