Tuesday, October 15, 2019

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSE
Andres Perez, Montana State Billings
M/F • 5-8 • Sophomore • Pittsburg, Calif.

Perez led Montana State Billings as he scored two goals and assisted on a third goal in the Yellowjackets’ 5-1 win over Saint Martin’s on Thursday. He was also involved in the play that led to the game-winning penalty kick goal in the Yellowjackets’ 1-0 win at Seattle Pacific on Saturday.

Also Nominated: Nicholas Denley (Concordia), Jason Fairhurst (Saint Martin’s), Connor Glennon (Simon Fraser), Ryan Schaefer (Western Washington).

DEFENSE
Jeremiah Lee, Western Washington
D • 6-4 • Senior • Marysville, Wash.

Lee played the full 90 minutes and played a key role in holding Concordia to just four shots on goal in Western Washington’s 2-0 shutout of the Cavaliers on Saturday. It was the first time that the Cavs were shut out this season.

Also Nominated: Klaus Huovila (Concordia), Samuele Folla (Montana State Billings), Brandon Kam (Saint Martin’s).

AROUND THE GNAC
CONCORDIA
• Concordia pulled off a huge overtime upset of then No. 23 Simon Fraser on Thursday in Burnaby, B.C. then dropped a 2-0 match to Western Washington on Saturday.

• Concordia and Simon Fraser were scoreless after the first half. Kyle Dearborn opened the scoring with a goal in the 49th minute, but Simon Fraser’s Connor Glennon tied the match in the 73rd minute to send it to overtime.

• Nicholas Denley scored the golden goal for the Cavaliers to top the Clan, 2-1. It was Denley’s second game-winner of the season. He is tied for second in the GNAC with five goals.

• Klaus Huovila anchored the Concordia defense, playing the full 96 minutes against Simon Fraser on Thursday and helping to limit the Clan to the single goal. He also was credited with the assist on Dearborn’s goal. Huovila followed that performance with an 86-minute effort against Western Washington on Saturday.

• Goalkeeper Kenneth Symmes made nine saves against the Clan then made another five saves in the Cavs’ loss to the Vikings. The Cavs are ranked second in the GNAC and 39th in Division II with a .792 save percentage.

• After a four-week absence, Concordia is back in the United Soccer Coaches West Region Poll at No. 10.

• Concordia is now 5-3-0 (2-1-0 GNAC) on the season. Up next, the Cavs will host Seattle Pacific on Thursday before heading to play at Saint Martin’s on Saturday.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings won two road conference matches to jump to the top of the GNAC standings with nine points. The Yellowjackets were selected as the GNAC Team of the Week.

• The Yellowjackets completed a 5-1 rout of Saint Martin’s in Lacey, Washington, on Thursday then needed a late penalty kick goal to top Seattle Pacific, 1-0, on Saturday.

• Saint Martin’s struck first with a sixth-minute goal by Jason Fairhurst, but the Yellowjackets responded with five straight goals, four of which came in the first half.

• Andres Perez was named the GNAC Offensive Player of the Week after he scored two goals and assisted on a third goal in the Yellowjackets’ 5-1 win over Saint Martin’s. He was also involved in the play that led to the game-winning penalty kick goal by Shantik Bedrosian in the 79th minute of the 1-0 win at Seattle Pacific.

• Bryan Maxwell scored the opening goal for the Yellowjackets at Saint Martin’s. Christian Thode netted two goals of his own in the 13th and 42nd minutes to add to the Yellowjackets’ insurance.

• Samuele Folla played all 90 minutes in both matches, leading a Yellowjacket defense that limited Saint Martin’s to seven shots on goal and Seattle Pacific to four shots on goal.

• Goalkeeper Jessy Martin nine saves in the two matches. He leads the GNAC and ranks 13th in Division II with 55 saves on the season.

• Montana State Billings is now 6-4-1 (3-1-0 GNAC) on the season. Up next, the Yellowjackets will begin a three-week home stand. The team will face another tough test as it hosts Simon Fraser on Saturday.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene lost at Seattle Pacific, 5-2, on Thursday then dropped a 3-2 match at Saint Martin’s in overtime on Saturday.

• Lorenzo Valentini scored both goals for the Nighthawks in the 5-2 loss to the Falcons. He also scored the Nighthawks’ game-tying goal at Saint Martin’s, bringing his season total to four goals.

• Garrison Lee netted the opening goal for the Nighthawks against Saint Martin’s.

• Alex Nadermann and Sawyer Price shared goalkeeper duties last week. Nadermann ranks fifth in the conference with 23 saves.

• Northwest Nazarene is now 4-5-0 (0-3-0 GNAC) on the season. Up next, the Nighthawks will have a tough week at home as they host Simon Fraser on Thursday and Western Washington on Saturday.

SAINT MARTIN'S
• Saint Martin’s dropped a 5-1 match to Montana State Billings on Thursday then bounced back to top Northwest Nazarene, 3-2, in overtime at home on Saturday.

• Jason Fairhurst opened the scoring with a goal in the 6th minute against Montana State Billings but the Yellowjackets responded with five unanswered goals to top the Saints.

• Brandon Kam netted the golden goal against the Nighthawks in the 99th minute to give the Saints their first conference win.

• Oscar Aguilar and Brandon Madsen scored the other two goals against the Nighthawks. Madsen tops the GNAC and ranks second in Division II with 11 goals. He also ranks sixth in Division II with 24 total points.

• Dylan Shaw made 10 saves in the two matches. He is third in the conference with 31 saves.

• Saint Martin’s is now 6-3-2 (1-2-1 GNAC) on the season. Up next, the Saints will stay home to host Western Washington on Thursday and Concordia on Saturday.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Seattle Pacific picked up its first conference win with a 5-2 victory over Northwest Nazarene at home on Thursday. The Falcons followed that with a 1-0 loss to Montana State Billings on Saturday.

• Seattle Pacific scored three straight goals in the first half to take an early lead over Northwest Nazarene. Titus Grant opened the scoring in the seventh minute. He also scored the Falcons’ fifth goal in the 81st minute.

• Nik Reierson, Mario Vukic and Trevor Lee notched the other three goals against the Nighthawks.

• Seattle Pacific played a sound game against Montana State Billings, but a penalty kick goal by the Yellowjackets in the 79th minute proved to be the difference in the 1-0 loss.

• The Falcons continue to rotate goalkeepers. Jordan Marwood had three saves against Northwest Nazarene while Lars Helleren also made three saves against Montana State Billings

• Seattle Pacific is now 2-6-1 (1-3-0 GNAC) on the season. Up next, the Falcons will head south on I-5 to play at Concordia on Thursday.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser was upset at home by Concordia, 2-1, in overtime on Thursday.

• Concordia’s Kyle Dearborn struck first early in the second half, scoring a goal in the 49th minute. Simon Fraser’s Connor Glennon tied the match in the 73rd minute to send it to overtime, where the Clan would eventually fall, 2-1.

• Despite tallying 28 shots and 10 shots on goal, the Clan was only able to score one goal.

• Matteo Polisi ranks second the GNAC and 37th in Division II with 0.71 goals per match. He also ranks 25th in Division II with 1.86 points per match.

• Anchored by Aidan Bain, the Clan tops the conference with a 1.12 goals against average.

• Simon Fraser dropped out of the United Soccer Coaches National Poll but remain at No. 4 in the West Region Poll.

• Simon Fraser is now 5-2-0 (2-1-0 GNAC) on the season. Up next, the Clan will hit the road to play at Northwest Nazarene on Thursday and Montana State Billings on Saturday.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington won its only match of the week with a 2-0 win over Concordia on Saturday.

• An own goal by Concordia put Western Washington on the scoreboard. Ryan Shaefer’s goal in the 68th minute extended the Vikings’ lead to 2-0.

• Jeremiah Lee earned Defensive Player of the Week honors after he played the full 90 minutes and played a key role in holding Concordia to just four shots on goal in the 2-0 shutout. It was the first time that the Cavaliers were shut out this season.

• Goalkeeper Brandon Locke made four saves in the Western Washington victory.

• Western Washington remains at No. 6 in the United Soccer Coaches West Region Poll.

• Western Washington is now 5-3-1 (2-0-1 GNAC) on the season. Up next, the Vikings will play on the road at Saint Martin’s on Thursday and Northwest Nazarene on Saturday.