Box Score SEATTLE – After striking first on a goal by Thorge Jess in the 24th minute, the Montana State University Billings men's soccer team conceded a pair of second-half goals as No. 6 Seattle Pacific earned a tough Great Northwest Athletic Conference victory at Interbay Stadium on Thursday evening.
 
After Jordan Thompson scored his fourth goal of the season in the 58th minute, SPU netted its second score on a MSUB own goal in the 89th minute. The comeback win pushed the Falcons' record to 9-0-1 on the season, and SPU remained tied for first in the GNAC standings with a perfect 6-0-0 record.
 
The loss snapped MSUB's three-game winning streak and four-game unbeaten streak, as the 'Jackets moved to 3-4-3 on the season and 3-2-1 in GNAC play. "I'm disappointed for the boys tonight," said MSUB head coach Alex Balog. "They did everything we asked of them. They worked very, very hard, and they played a kind of soccer that we as a coaching staff can only be proud of."
 
Overall on the game, SPU outshot MSUB 16-7, placing five shots on target. The Falcons won four corner kicks compared with three by the 'Jackets. Jess had a team-high four shots on the game for MSUB.
 
Colin Ralston fired the first shot of the game in the sixth minute, missing the target high. SPU responded with a shot of its own by Stephen MacDonald in the 15th minute, but those were the only two looks through the first 23 minutes of the match.
 
Midway through the first half, Kyle Emerick served a cross into the box, finding Jess's foot. The sophomore striker flicked the ball into the back of the net from four yards out, as his team-high fifth goal of the season pushed the 'Jackets in front 1-0 early on.
 
Reigning GNAC defensive Player of the Week Tom Lohmann made his first save of the match on a shot by MacDonald with 31 minutes gone to preserve MSUB's 1-0 advantage. The Falcons kept the pressure on with another shot 10 minutes before the break, this time watching as the Yellowjackets' back line knocked down the attempt towards goal.
 
Jess responded with his second shot of the match in the 36th minute, missing the goal to the right. Determined to help his team hold the lead, Lohmann tallied another save in the 39th minute on a shot by the Falcons' Gabe Kellum.
 
Keeping himself on SPU's radar, Jess finished the first half with a pair of shots within a one-minute span that were both blocked by the Falcons before reaching the target.
 
Emerick sent his first shot of the game towards goal in the 50th minute, and the 'Jackets won their first corner kick of the game on the ensuing play to start the second half.
 
The Falcons equalized the score in the 58th minute, as Thompson collected a pass from Jordan Kollars on the right side of the goal and finished a low shot into the left corner.
 
SPU didn't let up after the goal, unleashing the next four shots of the game. A strike by Chaz Jenkins in the 67th minute glanced off of the post, and his header shot on the rebound missed just high.
 
Lohmann made another big save in the 71st minute on a shot by Thompson, and MacDonald had a shot blocked 10 seconds later.
 
Rhys Lambert had an opportunity in the 72nd minute, but his shot was off target and the score remained 1-1.
 
With an impending overtime growing more and more likely, disaster struck for the Yellowjackets just before the final whistle as an own goal gave the lead to SPU at 2-1.
 
"Tonight, we ended up on the short end of the stick, but there are a lot of positives we can take from this game," Balog said. "We'll be ready for Saint Martin's."
 
NEXT UP: MSUB remains in Washington for a Saturday matchup with GNAC opponent Saint Martin's. The 'Jackets will look to bounce back after the loss, with a 2 p.m. Mountain time kickoff at the SMU soccer field.