Box Score

LAIE, Hawaii — Thirteen proved to be plenty lucky for the Crusaders on Tuesday.

Hours after earning its second-ever NCAA Division II Top 25 ranked — No. 13 in this week's NSCAA Top 25 — the Northwest Nazarene men's soccer team completed a sweep of its road trip to Hawaii with a 3-1 victory over BYU-Hawaii.

"I couldn't be happier with the way we managed ourselves on this trip," said NNU head men's soccer coach Coe Michaelson, whose team spent six days on The Islands to open the 2015 season.

"It's a place where it's very easy to lose focus," added NNU's coach, whose team was rained out on Thursday, played two matches in just a little more than 24 hours, then weather heat and high humidity in Tuesday's contest. "But to change four time zones and face three fresh teams in five days, all playing their opening matches, having rested and scouted us and still walk away with three wins, that is very impressive.
 

"In the end, it's a testament to our squad's depth and the quality on our squad."

Last week in the team's first two wins, it was Alex Mitrovic who led the way with a goal in each game, and effort that earned him GNAC Player of the Week honors.

Tuesday, it was teammate Abraham Placito's turn to shine for the Crusaders (3-0-0) as he booted home the game's first goal with 9 minutes, 38 seconds left in the first half.

Placito's first goal in a Crusader uniform came off assists from Erik Anderson and Julio Castillo.

The junior-college transfer then scored his second goal of the young season when he headed in a cross from Castillo with 12:52 gone from the game-clock in the second half.

Freshman Jan Ilskens then iced the win with his first NNU goal, blasting home a free kick with 14:10 remaining for a commanding 3-0 Crusader lead.

BYU-Hawaii (0-1-0) spoiled the shutout bid of NNU goalkeeper Ryan Foo (4 saves) with 4:44 left on a Peter Puertas goal.

But it couldn't spoil the mood of the Crusaders who come home after a very successful opening road trip, with the team's highest NCAA Top 25 ranking ever, and ready to host Cal State Dominguez Hills on Saturday at 5 p.m. at Finkbeiner Park in the team's home debut.