Box Score

BILLINGS, Mont. — Life on the road continued to be rough on the Crusaders.

Host Montana State Billings scored the lone goal of the day 5 minutes, 54 seconds into the second half to upset the Northwest Nazarene men's soccer team Thursday afternoon in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference matchup.

"This is tough to take as it's a very similar situation to Western Washington on Saturday," NNU head men's soccer coach Coe Michaelson said, referring to the Crusaders' 2-1 overtime loss to the Vikings. "We had tons of the ball, but were not dangerous enough."

The Crusaders (8-4-1 overall, 4-3-1 GNAC) matched the Yellowjackets in shots, 10-10, but for the second time in three games on the road in the past eight days, NNU was shut out. NNU has scored one goal in its past three games, all on the road.

"As coaches we are looking for solutions," Michaelson said. "We have to take the blame that we aren't solving this problem.

"I give credit to Billings, they executed their game plan," added NNU's coach whose Crusaders beat MSU Billings, 1-0, in Nampa, Idaho, on Oct. 3. "They defended very well and they were dangerous several times on the counter attack, including the goal."

Julio Castillo and Fernando Alvarez led the Crusader offense as Castillo took three shots and Alvarez had two shots on goal for NNU, which wraps up a four-game road trip at the University of Mary on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. before returning home for a four-game home-stand.

"This is absolutely gut check time for us," Michaelson said. "The wheels are coming off, so what are we going to do about it? Let that happen or salvage this?"