Box Score

NAMPA, Idaho – The cliché "it was over before it started" almost was a reality Thursday for the Crusaders.

Playing like a team deserving a Top 25 ranking, the Northwest Nazarene men's soccer team scored on its first three shots Thursday evening and held a commanding 3-0 lead just 5 minutes and 34 seconds into a 5-1 win over South Dakota School of Mines in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference contest at Finkbeiner Park on the NNU campus.

"The start was fantastic, obviously," said NNU men's soccer head coach Coe Michaelson, "and I think the overwhelming nature of the early minutes shows what a strong group and camaraderie we have."

The win keeps the Crusaders – who are No. 4 in the West Region poll and the sixth team in "others receiving votes" in the national Top 25 poll - tied for first in the GNAC with No. 7-ranked Seattle Pacific, which beat Western Washington, 3-1, on Thursday.
 

Rene Duevel started the Crusaders rout, booting home a cross from Erik Anderson just 1:05 into the contest, then Fredy Razo scored his first of two goals 27 seconds later off a pass forward from Jaime Verdin.

A quick 4:02 later, Anderson netted goal No. 3 of the game off an assist from Duevel and Steven Garcia, and the outcome was virtually decided just moments after the game started.

NNU (7-1-0 overall, 4-0-0 GNAC) kept coming on in waves over the opening 45 minutes and added a goal by Razo in the 25^th minute and another by Michael Mollay with 47 seconds remaining on the first-half scoreboard clock for a 5-0 lead.

Subbing liberally – NNU played 24 players in the contest – the Crusaders maintained control of the contest in the second half, only allowing a penalty-kick goal to the Hardrockers (1-7-0, 0-4-0).

"I'm really happy with the fact that so many guys got to play tonight," Michaelson said. "I told the guys that started to play for the guys who general don't get much time, and they certainly did that."

Alfredo E. Ontiveros made one save in goal, playing the first half for NNU, and Ryan Foo got the call in the second in net for the Crusaders, who next host the University of Mary on Saturday at 3 p.m.