Box Score
SEATTLE – After battling back in the second half to force overtime, the Montana State Billings men's soccer team lost in heartbreaking fashion at Seattle Pacific, 2-1. The Falcons scored in the 95th minute to break a 1-1 tie on a rainy Saturday evening at Interbay Stadium. With the loss, the Yellowjackets fell to 7-6-1 overall and 2-5 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. Seattle Pacific improved to 8-5-2 on the year and 5-1-1 in conference play.
“It was an awful way to lose the game tonight,” MSUB head coach Dan McNally said. “The guys were absolutely devastated in the locker room after the game. We didn't play well in the first half, but in the second half we were outstanding and took the game to SPU.”
The game-winner came from 15 yards out as Elliott Morton went 1-on-1 with MSUB goalkeeper Matt Mitchell. Morton fired a shot into the right side at the 94:19 mark for his fourth goal of the season.
MSUB, who was outshot 8-0 in the first half, came roaring back in the second firing nine shots in the half. Sophomore Conner Moe scored his second goal in as many games to tie the match in the 64th minute. Moe, a Snohomish, Wash., native, headed the ball over SPU goalkeeper Kaleb Kuehn off a free kick from senior Chris Andre. It was Andre's team-leading sixth assist of the season.
From that point on, the Yellowjackets seemed to have a renewed vigor as they had five more shots at the go ahead goal. Kuehn made two saves, while two shots were blocked and one sailed wide right. SPU also had five shots down the stretch.
In overtime, the Falcons got an early shot and save as Mitchell made his fourth stop on a Caleb Nyone attempt at the 92:27 mark, before the game winner from Morton.
“Our team spirit and chemistry is outstanding, and I was proud of how the guys responded after halftime,” McNally added. “The overtime goal was an absolute heartbreaker for us, and it was so disappointing to lose on a goal like that.”
SPU got on the board just 16 minutes into the contest as Tyler Schultz scored his ninth goal of the season on an assist from Kodiac Gamble. Schultz took a five-yard header off a corner kick for the score.
Leading the way for the Jackets was sophomore Thomas Sheets who tallied five shots with one on goal. Moe had the score on two shots, while Andre added an assist. SPU outshot the Yellowjackets 20-9 and 6-4 in shots on goal. SPU also held a 6-3 lead in corner kicks.
The Falcons were led by six shots from Schultz with two on goal and a score. Nyone added five shots with three on goal.
Kuehn made three saves, while Mitchell had four stops.
The Yellowjackets return home for the final four regular season games of the season, beginning Thurs., Oct. 28, at 12:30 p.m. versus Western Washington at Yellowjacket Field.
