Box Score




NAMPA, Idaho — If not for the bittersweet feeling of having to say farewell, it would have been the perfect day.

After honoring 13 seniors, the Northwest Nazarene men's soccer team erupted offensively, led by those seniors, rolling to a 7-1 win over visiting St. Martin's at Finkbeiner Park on the NNU campus on "Senior Day" in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference season finale for both teams.
 

"Really enjoyable," NNU head coach Joel DeLass said of the day's ceremonies and the game's final outcome. "Great group of seniors, I can't thank them enough for making my first season that I coached so enjoyable."

After honoring 13 players making their final appearance on the NNU pitch — Ryan Foo, Stephen Davidson, Steven Garcia, Collin Raymond, Michael Mollay, Fernando Alvarez, Dennis Vivar-Diaz, Bryan Neba, Marshall Hartley, Ebu Camara, Christian Adamson, Keith Fujita and Rene Duevel — the day just got better as 6 minutes, 34 seconds into the action, Vivar-Diaz sent a centering pass from the left side of the Saints' goal box to Alvarez, who booted it home to ignite the rout.

The Crusaders (9-5-4 overall, 6-3-3 GNAC) maintained that tenuous lead for the next 20-plus minutes before two more quick scores broke it open.

First, Hartley sent a centering pass through the SMU goal-box to Mollay who blasted it inside the right post with 14:54 until halftime.

Then, with 4:36 left until the break, Vivar-Diaz took a free kick from 20 yards out, chipped it over the Saints defending wall, off the crossbar and in for a 3-0 advantage.

Almost a comfortable lead.

"I challenged them at halftime to go out and get one," DeLass said, "so they got the fourth one a minute into the second half, that's when it was a little more relaxing."
 

Just 27 seconds into the final stanza as Alvarez chipped a pass forward to Hartley on the left side of the SMU goal-box, and he blasted home the game's fourth goal.

Now comfortably in front, NNU went ahead and tacked on three more as Alvarez scored on a penalty kick in the 51^st minute, Camara scored off a Mollay assist in the 55^th minute, then Mollay set up Alvarez for his third of the day — a "Senior Day" hat trick — with 15:06 remaining.

The lone Saints goal came with 8:52 left, spoiling the shutout bid of Foo, who made seven saves in his finale.

An exciting send-off for the Crusaders, but one of mixed emotions for their first-year coach who now must replace 13 players.

"It's definitely going to be crazy next year, a lot of recruits that we need to get into our program," DeLass said, adding, "but these guys have really done a great job of shaping it and molding the young players."