Box Score BILLINGS, Mont. – Squaring off against the number two team in the NCAA Division II, the Montana State University Billings men's soccer team dropped a tight match 1-0 to Seattle Pacific in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play Saturday afternoon at Yellowjacket Field.
Sean Russell netted the game's only goal in the 65th minute, and SPU held the lead through the closing minutes to improve to 15-1-1 overall and 12-1-1 in GNAC play.
The Yellowjackets (6-8-3, 6-6-1 GNAC) took eight shots compared to 12 by SPU. The 'Jackets allowed just two shots on goal, while goalkeeper
Tom Lohmann made one save on the match.
MSUB's best chance for a goal came at the beginning of the second half, as a free kick by
Rhys Lambert from just outside the 18-yard box required a diving save by SPU keeper Cody Lang as it was curling towards the back of the net.
The Yellowjackets held a 7-2 advantage in corner kicks, and Lambert led all players with four shots on the match.
Danny Olivas had the first opportunity of the match for SPU, firing a laser-like shot from 25 yards out that missed high by only a couple of feet midway through the first half.
The 'Jackets earned a golden opportunity just three minutes into the second half, as a foul by SPU right outside of the box set up a direct free kick. Lambert curled a strong shot around the wall on target, and only a full-length diving save prevented the first goal of the match.
The Falcons created several dangerous chances several minutes later, winning their first corner kick of the match six minutes into the second. An ensuing shot by Russell came from just 16 yards out, but it cleared the crossbar as it missed high.
Streaking forward onto a through ball with 10 minutes gone in the second, Russell placed a shot on frame that nicked the outside of the near post before rolling out of bounds.
Keeping the pressure on, Ian Adams had a left-footed shot placed on goal but Lohmann came up with a big kick save before it passed the near post. Olivas had another clean look less than a minute later, his strike rolling inches wide of the far post.
A breakthrough came when Stephen MacDonald and Olivas combined quickly and played a through ball into the box. Russell took a touch and placed a strong, low shot just under the reach of Lohmann who tipped the ball before it made it into the net.
The Falcons held the upper hand throughout the second offensively, but MSUB defended well and refused to concede a second goal. The 'Jackets created a few scoring chances down the final stretch, but a corner kick in the closing minute of the match was cleared out of the box.
NEXT UP: The Yellowjackets take on Northwest Nazarene in their final match of the season next Saturday at Yellowjacket Field at 2 p.m. MSUB will honor its five graduating players on Senior Day before the match.
