Box Score

SEATTLE, Wash. — Disappointing, but not disheartening.

The 22^nd-ranked Northwest Nazarene men's soccer team saw the biggest game of the season – to date –slip away when Bryson Pavel headed home a ball with 8 minutes, 47 seconds remaining in regulation Saturday night.

Pavel's goal snapped a scoreless tie and lifted the Falcons to a 1-0 win over the Crusaders in a Top 25 battle and a fight for the Great Northwest Athletic Conference lead.

"We worked hard, but to be honest I didn't think we were at our best," NNU head men's soccer coach Coe Michaelson said. "In a game as tight as tonight, when the margins are so slim, sometimes it just comes down to who takes a chance, and credit to them, they did that."

Outshot 17-11 in the contest, NNU (9-2-0 overall, 6-1-0 GNAC) hung tough led by Alfredo E. Ontiveros, who made seven saves in goal.
And the Crusaders had their chances, but simply couldn't finish.

That set up the disappointing game-winner as Pavel headed home a free kick by teammate Jordan Kollars in the 82^nd minute for SPU (10-0-1, 7-0-0).

NNU made a last-ditch effort to tie the game and force overtime only to see three shots blocked and one go wide, sending the Crusaders to their first league loss and snapping NNU's eight-game winning streak.

Still, with seven games left, the Crusaders remain just one game back in the GNAC title race and are highly ranked in the nation and West region.

All of which means that continued success over the rest of the season could lead to a first-ever trip to the NCAA Division II national tournament for the NNU men's soccer team, a much bigger win than Saturday night's result in Seattle.

"We will recover and get up for the next one," Michaelson said looking ahead to next week's games at the University of Mary on Thursday and South Dakota School of Mines on Saturday.

"We still have it all to play for."