NAMPA, Idaho – Scoring both of its goals on set pieces Thursday night at the NNU Soccer Field, host Northwest Nazarene University claimed a 2-0 triumph over Montana State University Billings in Great Northwest Athletic Conference men's soccer play.
The Nighthawks (7-8, 4-5 GNAC) used a pair of goals in the first 16 minutes of the second half to snap a four-game losing skid. MSUB meanwhile slipped to 4-8-3 overall and 2-5-2 in league action with the defeat.
The 'Jackets dodged a bullet at the 19 minute mark in the opening half, when Jimmy Koufidakis got a shot off past a charging
Connor Trapp but had his strike land on the outside of the netting just wide of the post. It was among the seven shots that the Nighthawks got off during the opening 45 minutes of play, but the Yellowjackets managed to maintain some offense with three strikes in the first half.
Lukas Juodkunaitis netted his team-leading fifth goal of the season in the 52nd minute, scoring what proved to be the game-winner on a well-placed free kick. After the Yellowjackets conceded a foul 25 yards out on the left side of the field, Juodkunaitis blasted a curling, right-footed strike over the defensive wall and just inside the left goal post to beat Trapp and make the score 1-0.
Daniel Brendel added the second goal in the 66th minute, as the Nighthawks capitalized on a corner kick opportunity. After two initial shots were deflected inside a crowded box, Brendel was there to tip the ball home as MSUB senior captain
Luca Battistotti narrowly missed clearing it off the line at the last second.
MSUB had no response in the second half, managing just one shot attempt the rest of the game. NNU meanwhile kept constant pressure on the back line, with eight more strikes for a total shooting advantage of 15-4 including 10 attempts on target.
Trapp finished the game with a season-high eight saves, but the 'Jackets failed to get a strong look at an equalizer.
Halil Yilmaz had three of MSUB's four shots and landed the only attempt on frame. NNU goalkeeper Sawyer Price made the save on Yilmaz's shot, earning his fourth shutout of the season.
Battistotti played the full 90 minutes on Thursday, and tied the MSUB career games played record with the 72nd of his five-year tenure in a Yellowjacket uniform. Fellow defenders
Bryan Maxwell and
Tybalt Thornberry were the other Yellowjackets to play the full 90 minutes on Thursday.
THE BUZZ: Battistotti was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…MSUB is now 14-17-2 all-time against NNU and is 4-7-2 in road matches…NNU swept the season series, after defeating MSUB 2-1 on Oct. 9 when the teams met in Billings.
AHEAD: The 2021 season finale awaits MSUB on Saturday, with a 2 p.m. kickoff against Saint Martin's University at Black Hills High School in Tumwater, Wash.
