LACEY, Wash. - Xan Nixon scored four goals to power Saint Martin's University past the Crusaders 5-0 on Saturday afternoon in Lacey, Washington.

Playing with a line-up missing four starters for most of the contest, the Crusaders were unable to mount a quality attack in their final GNAC match of the season.  The Crusaders, who have four non-conference matches remaining in the season, fall to 9-5-1 overall and finish conference play 2-5-1.  

"With that many key players missing, we just didn't have the ability get a result that we would like," commented NNU head coach Coe Michaelson.  NNU played without the services of Alex Mangeac (five yellow-card one-match suspension), Ben Mangeac (Injury), Jose Oregon (Red-card one-match suspension) and Kyle Gaedke (Injury).

Nixon opened the scoring in the 25th-minute and under three minutes later Vlad Voin beat NNU keeper Zander Engeman to the far post to make it 2-0.  Ruben Orozco assisted on both goals, splitting two NNU defenders on Nixon's tally and serving a near post cross to Voin for the second.

Taking the 2-0 lead to the half, the Saints (3-9-1, 2-3-1 GNAC) Nixon delivered a hat-trick in the second half, scoring in the 59th, 85th and 88th-minutes.  Daniel Palermo, Kramer Cross and James Schmid each earned second-half assists.

NNU will play at Dixie State College in St.George, Utah on both Monday and Tuesday against the Rebels.

Soccer Game Summary (Final)
The Automated ScoreBook For Soccer
Northwest Nazarene vs Saint Martin's (Oct 25, 2008 at Lacey, WA)

Northwest Nazarene (9-5-1, GNAC 2-5-1) vs. Saint Martin's (3-9-1, GNAC 2-3-1)
Date: Oct 25, 2008  Attendance: 98
Weather:

Goals by period       1  2  Tot
-------------------------------
Northwest Nazarene..  0  0 -  0
Saint Martin's......  2  3 -  5

SCORING SUMMARY:
 1.  25:53 SMUMSO Nixon,Xan (Orozco,Ruben) - 19 split defenders cross to 3
 2.  28:15 SMUMSO Voin,Vlad (Orozco,Ruben) - near post cross pass from 19 to far post goal
 3.  59:39 SMUMSO Nixon,Xan (Palermo,Daniel;Cross,Kramer) - free kick by 10, cross by 11
 4.  85:25 SMUMSO Nixon,Xan (unassisted) - off NNU goal kick, ball straight to 3
 5.  88:51 SMUMSO Nixon,Xan (Schmid,James) - 20 yards out

Shots: Northwest Nazarene 6, Saint Martin's 14
Saves: Northwest Nazarene 1 (Rice,Mitchell 1), Saint Martin's 4
(Lubin,Zac 3; TEAM 1)