Box Score

NAMPA, Idaho — The thud heard across the Northwest Nazarene campus wasn't the sound of Ryan Foo making a diving save on a penalty kick.

Instead, it was the sound of Crusader fans hearts dropping as visiting Simon Fraser was awarded a second PK after Foo's dramatic save, a chance the Clan converted into the game winner as the NNU men's soccer team fell 2-0 on "Senior Day" at Finkbeiner Park in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action.

"I'm a bit torn today between being really disappointed by the emotional reactions we showed and understanding of the reasons why we were so upset, because those are feelings and emotions I'm feeling as well," NNU head men's soccer coach Coe Michaelson said.

"There's nothing worse than the sense of injustice we are feeling, but that's the game sometimes and that's life," Michaelson added. "You have to be able to deal with those moments and show your character, and we just weren't able to today."
 

The defining moment of the game came with 23 minutes, 28 seconds gone following an unlucky Crusader hand ball in the goal box when a free kick into the NNU defensive wall hit on of the players in the arm.

So unlucky that NNU goalkeeper Foo rightfully erased the mistake with a diving stop to his right on a penalty-kick chance by Adam Jones.

But wait one moment …

The referee whistled the play dead following the save, saying an NNU player jumped into the goal-box early on the kick, an infraction resulting in a re-kick.

This time Jones booted home the ball, a heartbreaking "replay" that helped steal the momentum away from NNU (11-6-1 overall, 7-5-1 GNAC).

The Clan rode that 1-0 lead all game long, fending off wave after wave of Crusader attacks as NNU looked to even the score up until the fleeting moments.

With NNU pressing to tie the game, the Clan capitalized on a counter-attack as James Fraser grabbed a long goal-kick, centered a pass to Jones and he iced the win with 2:25 left to play, beating Foo one-on-one.

Foo made seven saves in goal in the contest for the Crusaders, who said a grateful "Thank You" and a heart-felt "Good Luck" to seven seniors on the day: Graham Reid, Julio Castillo, Jaime Verdin, Erik Anderson, Austin Thomas, Luke Broz and Nathan Murphy.

The Crusaders wrap up their 2015 regular season at Concordia next Saturday, then will await their NCAA National Tournament fate as the selection show will be Nov. 9 at 4 p.m. (MT).