NAMPA, Idaho – Northwest Nazarene men's soccer defeated Simon Fraser 2-1 with a goal in the final minutes on Saturday.
The Nighthawks improve to 8-2-1 overall and 4-1-0 in the GNAC.
How it Happened
Simon Fraser scored the first goal of the match in the 12
th minute.
Sawyer Price was able to fend off the Red Leafs' attack with a save, but the save resulted in a deflection right toward an SFU player who was able to score.
The Nighthawks' confidence did not waiver. The Nighthawks were able to keep constant pressure on the Red Leafs with eight shots in the first half.
NNU was able to tie the score 1-1 in the 24
th minute.
Ethan Atterberry was racing defenders down the middle of the field, and he dished the ball off to
Alan Soto Ortiz. Soto Ortiz immediately sent a cross in front of the Red Leafs' goal that
Jake Levine headed into the back of the net.
The final tally of the match came in the 84
th minute.
Lukas Juodkunaitis had a free kick that he sent curving towards goal. The movement on the ball was too much for the Red Leafs' goalie to handle as it snuck past him for the game winning goal.
Nighthawks Notes
- The Nighthawks took 18 shots with 10 on target: SFU took four shots with three on target
- Jake Levine is now tied for first place in NNU's DII-era record books in career goals (28)
- Levine is now only one point away from being tied for first in career points (72)
Coaches Quote
The Nighthawks lost to SFU just one week before this matchup.
When asked about the game plan going into Saturday's match, NNU Head Coach
John Powell said "we had a good feeling of how they were going to come out and try to attack and defend us."
Coach Powell also added that the preparation came from asking the question; "how can we have more of the ball and generate more chances?"
The Nighthawks did just that, outshooting the Red Leafs by a difference of 14.
Up Next
The Nighthawks go on the road to face Seattle Pacific on Thursday, October 13
th.
