Box Score




NAMPA, Idaho — The Crusaders found their scoring touch and made a winner of new head coach Joel DeLass.

Two days after securing a hard-fought draw in its season opener, the Northwest Nazarene men's team proved prolific and efficient on offense as the Crusaders scored on two of their first three chances and pulled away from visiting Dominican for a 4-2 nonconference win Saturday at Finkbeiner Park on the NNU campus.

"We've been stressing with the guys quality over quantity," first-year NNU head coach Joel DeLass said. "If you look at our shots, we're really working and not just shooting from 30 yards out, but trying to get it a little bit closer. So I'm happy to be rewarded in that sense."

Michael Mollay convert on the first chance of the day for NNU (1-0-1 overall) with 13 minutes, 27 seconds gone in the game as he finished off a cross from Logan Wood.

It was the first shot by the Crusaders, who up until that point had been outshot by the Penguins (0-2-0), 4-0.

But DeLass pointed out: "I think a lot of their shots were from distance and not too dangerous."

Just 7:37 later, NNU jumped up 2-0 as Alex Mitrovic tested Dominican keeper Oscar O'Con, who stopped one shot, but Wood was right there to put away the rebound.
 

Rene Duevel then made it a 3-0 game in NNU's favor in the 41^st minute, finishing off a long through ball from Michael Mollay.

Dominican got a goal back 6:44 into the second half before a Mitrovic goal in the 66^th minute iced the win for the Crusaders.

The Penguins closed the margin to a two-goal difference, where the final score finished, with a penalty-kick goal with 18:53 remaining. 

In all, the Crusaders were outshot 20-8, but certainly made the best of their chances in a victory that is the first officially in the coaching career for DeLass, who earned an exhibition win a week ago, and that draw in the season opener on Thursday.

Of course, NNU's new coach downplayed the milestone.

"I'm happy to get the win and come out of the weekend 1-0-1, that's a really good start for us," he said.

Ryan Foo made seven saves in the win for NNU, which is back in action this coming Thursday when the Crusaders host Cal State Dominguez Hills at 5:30 p.m.