BILLINGS, Mont. – A well-played match came to a heartbreaking finish for the Montana State University Billings men's soccer team on Thursday at Yellowjacket Field, as visiting Seattle Pacific University netted a goal with 40 seconds left to claim a 3-2 Great Northwest Athletic Conference victory.
 
All five goals in the match came during an eventful second period, with three lead changes over the final 45 minutes. Chris Cole netted the late game-winner, scoring his first goal of the year on a cross from Jason Schmidt that he redirected into the far corner of the net.
 
The Yellowjackets slipped to 4-5-1 with the loss, and are now 1-2 in conference play. The Falcons picked up their first GNAC win of the season, and move to 4-5 overall and 1-2 in GNAC action.
 
"This loss is very disappointing for our team, because we played well and deserved much more," commented MSUB head coach Alex Balog on a game his side led 2-1 with as little as 21 minutes left. "Credit to SPU for battling, grinding, and finding a way to get the result. Unfortunately, certain elements made it a steep, uphill battle for us from the get-go to be successful today."
 
Less than one minute into the second half, the 'Jackets found themselves trailing after a ball into the box by SPU was misdirected into the net for an own goal.
 
MSUB responded less than three minutes later, with two goals that were scored within 30 seconds of one another.
 
Senior Guillaume Kremer stepped to a 20-yard free kick on the left side of the field, and bent a signature shot into the far-upper corner of the net to even the score at 1-1.


 
MSUB immediately gained possession after the ensuing kickoff, and struck again to take the lead. After Luca Battistotti embarked on a long run down the right flank, the outside back rolled a cross through the goal box where senior Dana Kowachek moved forward against his defender. His one-time effort was well-placed into the lower-right corner, as his fourth goal of the year made it a 2-1 ballgame.


 
The Falcons clawed their way back into the game however, and earned a penalty kick in the 70th minute after a foul inside the goal box. Titus Grant, who led all players with four shots in the match, stepped to the spot and buried his third goal of the year to once again even the score.
 
While the game appeared to be destined for an extra-time finish, the Falcons got the final say as they won the ball in the midfield and pressed forward with less than a minute left. Schmidt's cross made its way through to Cole inside a crowded goal box, and the senior's first-career goal spelled the end for MSUB in shocking fashion.
 
Sophomore Shantik Bedrosian played his second consecutive 90-minute match, and was one of the Yellowjackets' most creative players on the ball from start to finish. Bedrosian had a decent look towards goal from a tight angle in the 20th minute, but his powerful, on-target shot was gobbled up by SPU goalkeeper Lars Helleren.
 
SPU's shot stopper finished with six saves in the match, as MSUB placed eight of its 13 attempts on frame. The Yellowjackets had a decided 6-1 advantage in corner kicks, but could not convert on the opportunities.
 
Defensively, the back four of Samuele Folla, Liam Knox, Pascal Pisarek, and Battistotti each played a full 90 minutes. Senior Adam Hepburn was another key performer for the Yellowjackets, helping his team keep possession and develop the ball out of the midfield.
 
"I'm glad that regardless of what was thrown at us we stayed true to who we are and kept playing and building from the back," Balog said. "We need to learn to see games out in a more mature way, and be much more clinical in our defending especially during money time. We will take this one on the chin, regroup, and get after it again on Saturday."
 
THE BUZZ: Bedrosian was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day…MSUB is now 5-18-5 all-time against SPU and is 3-5-2 in matches played in Billings…the goal was Kowachek's fourth of the season, the most on the squad…Kremer's goal was his second of the year and the 12th of his three-year career at MSUB.
 
NEXT UP: MSUB returns to the pitch Saturday, to face Northwest Nazarene University in another GNAC affair. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. and live video and live statistics will be available online through the MSUB Stretch Internet portal here.

 

Date	Location	H/A/N	Result	Score
10-18-99	Seattle, WA	A	L	9-2
10-16-00	Seattle, WA	A	L	13-0
10-7-02	Seattle, WA	A	L	3-0
9-19-03	Seattle, WA	A	L	3-0
9-28-04	Seattle, WA	A	L	5-1 (SPU #10)
9-20-07	Seattle, WA	A	T (2 OT)	1-1
10-22-07	Billings, MT	H	W	2-0
10-4-08	Billings, MT	H	W	1-0
11-6-08	Seattle, WA	A	W	4-2
9-19-09	Billings, MT	H	T (2 OT)	1-1
10-17-09	Seattle, WA	A	L	4-1
9-30-10	Billings, MT	H	L	2-0
10-23-10	Seattle, WA	A	L	2-1
9-17-11	Seattle, WA	A	L	2-0
10-13-11	Billings, MT	H	T (2 OT)	0-0
9-22-12	Billings, MT	H	T (2 OT)	1-1 (SPU #2)
10-11-12	Seattle, WA	A	L	2-0 (SPU #9)
9-28-13	Seattle, WA	A	L	3-2
10-19-13	Billings, MT	H	L	2-0
10-9-14	Seattle, WA	A	L	2-1
11-1-14	Billings, MT	H	L	1-0 (SPU #2)
10-8-15	Billings, MT	H	L	3-1 (SPU #18)
10-31-15	Seattle, WA	A	L	1-0 (SPU #9)
9-29-16	Seattle, WA	A	T (2 OT)	1-1
10-22-16	Billings, MT	H	W	1-0
9-28-17	Billings, MT	H	L	2-1
10-21-17	Seattle, WA	A	W	2-1
9-27-18	Billings, MT	H	L	3-2