Wednesday, October 4, 2017

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSE
Alex Mejia, Seattle Pacific
D/F • 6-2 • Freshman • Seattle, Wash.
Mejia had both game-winning goals and also had an assist as the Falcons scored a 2-1 win at Montana State Billings on Thursday and a 4-1 win at Northwest Nazarene on Saturday. He assisted on the Falcons’ opening goal and scored the game-winner in the 74th minute in the win over the Yellowjackets and tallied the game-winner in the 21st minute in the win over the Crusaders.

Also Nominated: JD Hauenstein (Montana State Billings), Brandon Madsen (Saint Martin’s), Anthony Dean (Western Washington).

DEFENSE
Kary Whitney, Seattle Pacific
GK • 6-0 • Senior • San Diego, Calif.
Whitney made 12 saves and keyed the SPU defense in a pair of road victories. Whitney allowed only one penalty kick goal while making four saves in the 2-1 win at Montana State Billings on Thursday. He then made eight saves and stopped a penalty kick in the 78th minutes in a 4-1 win at Northwest Nazarene.

Also Nominated: Aidan Raj (Montana State Billings), Sebastian Navarro (Saint Martin’s), Tyler Visen (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
CONCORDIA
LAST WEEK: Won vs. Simon Fraser 3-2. Lost vs. Western Washington 4-2.
THIS WEEK: Oct. 5 at Saint Martin's, 1 p.m. Oct. 7 vs. Seattle Pacific, 4 p.m.
• After splitting their two conference home matches last weekend, Concordia returns to GNAC action this Thursday at Saint Martin’s.
• The Cavaliers went 1-1 last week, upsetting then No. 2 Simon Fraser 3-2 on Thursday and losing 4-2 to Western Washington on Saturday. CU took a 3-1 lead in the first 45 minutes against the Clan as Brady Sanders, Nick Evans and Christian Thyron all scored first-half goals. Michael Hatch had two assists while Alec Dunkeld and Evans each had one. Benoit Bouillant had nine saves in the upset victory.
• On Saturday, the Cavaliers fell 4-2 to Western Washington as the Vikings opened the contest with four consecutive first-half goals. Hatch connected on two penalty kicks late to cut the Cavaliers’ deficit in half.  
• Hatch and Noah Swigart are tied for the team lead in goals with two while Hatch has a team-high six points. Evans leads the team with three assists.
• The Cavaliers return home on Saturday to face Seattle Pacific at 4 p.m.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
LAST WEEK: Lost vs. Seattle Pacific 2-1. Won vs. Saint Martin's 4-1.
THIS WEEK: Oct. 7 at No. 22 Simon Fraser, 7 p.m.
• Snapping Montana State Billings’ four-game winning streak on Thursday, Seattle Pacific overcame a one-goal halftime deficit to defeat the Yellowjackets 2-1 in GNAC action.
• Guillaume Kremer converted a first-half penalty kick to give the Yellowjackets an early lead. However, the Falcons countered with goals from Gabriel Weber and Alex Mejia that were scored 10 minutes apart in the second period.
•  On Saturday, JD Hauenstein lifted the Yellowjackets to a comeback win over Saint Martin’s, as he tallied a pair of goals in the 4-1 home victory.
• MSUB fell behind 1-0 in the second minute, when SMU’s Sebastian Navarro converted a 25-yard free kick. The Yellowjackets dominated proceeding after this point, however, as the home team built a 3-1 lead by halftime and added a late goal in the second half to win for the fifth time in its last six matches.
• Kremer leads the team with four assists this season. Hauenstein’s two-goal performance against the Saints was his first career multi-goal game.
• MSUB hits the road next week against No. 22 Simon Fraser on Sat., Oct. 7.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
LAST WEEK: Won vs. Saint Martin's 2-1. Lost vs. Seattle Pacific 4-1.
THIS WEEK: Oct. 5 at No. 22 Simon Fraser, 7 p.m. Oct. 7 at Western Washington, 7 p.m.
• Northwest Nazarene denied Saint Martin’s its first win of the season on Thursday, taking down the Saints 2-1 in GNAC action.
• The Crusaders extended their lead 2-0 in the 68th minute when Keon Jones scored his first goal of the year.
• On Saturday, Northwest Nazarene fell 4-1 to Seattle Pacific after the Falcons rattled off three unanswered goals.
• NNU responded to the early goal conceded in the 15th minute when Jake Levine finished his one-on-one opportunity just inside the right post from 12 yards out. It was Levine’s second tally of the year.
• Trailing 3-1 in the second half, the Crusaders’ best opportunity to come within one came in the 77th-minute on a penalty kick. Michael Bryant’s spot-kick was denied by SPU goalkeeper Kary Whitney as he dove to his left to deflect the attempt. Bryant received a red card one minute later.
• Bryant leads Northwest Nazarene with three goals and seven points.
• The Crusaders will look to bounce back next weekend when they travel to No. 22 Simon Fraser on Thursday and Western Washington on Saturday. Both matches begin at 7:00 p.m.

SAINT MARTIN'S
LAST WEEK: Lost at Northwest Nazarene 2-1. Lost at Montana State Billings 4-1.
THIS WEEK: Oct. 5 vs. Concordia, 1 p.m.
• After giving up back-to-back goals against Northwest Nazarene on Thursday, Saint Martin’s responded with an 88th-minute goal from Brandon Madsen eventually falling 2-1 to the Crusaders.
• In their Saturday matchup at Montana State Billings, the Saints struck two minutes into the match with a free kick goal from Sebastian Navarro. Saint Martin’s, however, fell 4-1 to the Yellowjackets.
• The fastest goal of the goal of the season for the Saints came when Navarro punched in his first goal of the season from a 25-yard free kick after 1:58.
• Despite the increased pressure on MSUB, the Yellowjackets broke through the Saints’ offense and scored the final goal in the 79th minute to secure the three-goal victory.
• Madsen led the Saints with four shots, recording two on goal. Edgar Iniguez and Kyle Witzel each tallied two shots last match.
• Griffin Small played 90 minutes against the ‘Jackets, making three saves against 11 shots. Small leads the GNAC with 46 saves this season and ranks 37th in Division II with 5.11 saves per game.
• Saint Martin’s hosts Concordia this Thursday at 1 p.m.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
LAST WEEK: Won at Montana State Billings 2-1. Won at Northwest Nazarene 4-1.
THIS WEEK: Oct. 5 at Western Washington, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 7 at Concordia, 4 p.m.
• Seattle Pacific swept this week’s Player of the Week awards. On Monday, freshman forward/defender Alex Mejia captured the GNAC Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week honor while goalkeeper Kary Whitney garnered GNAC Men’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week honors.
• Mejia had both game-winning goals and also had an assist as the Falcons scored a 2-1 win at Montana State Billings on Thursday and a 4-1 win at Northwest Nazarene on Saturday. He assisted on the Falcons’ opening goal and scored the game-winner in the 74th minute in the win over the Yellowjackets and tallied the game-winner in the 21st minute in the win over the Crusaders.
• Whitney made 12 saves in their pair of road victories, allowing just one penalty kick goal while making four saves in the 2-1 win at Montana State Billings on Thursday. He then made eight saves and denied a penalty kick in the 78th minute in the 4-1 win at Northwest Nazarene.
• SPU is perfect on the road this season with a 4-0 record. It’s a different story at home, however, as the Falcons sit at 2-2-1. They have outscored opponents 11-5 away from Seattle.
• Eleven different Falcons have scored at least one goal this season. Gabriel Weber (4 goals/3 assists) and Gabe Kellum (3 goals/5 assists) lead the team with 11 points each.
• The Falcons travel to Bellingham, Wash., this Thursday to take on Western Washington at 7:30 p.m. In the teams’ previous GNAC matchup, the Vikings emerged victorious in a 3-2 overtime thriller.

SIMON FRASER
LAST WEEK: Lost at Concordia 3-2. Tied at Cal State Dominguez Hills 0-0.
THIS WEEK: Oct. 5 vs. Northwest Nazarene, 4 p.m. Oct. 7 vs. Montana State Billings, 7 p.m.
• A 3-2 loss to GNAC rival Concordia and a scoreless draw at Cal State Dominguez Hills saw Simon Fraser drop 20 spots in the United Soccer Coaches Poll to No. 22.
 • On Thursday, Concordia scored three goals in the first half to defeat then No. 2 Simon Fraser 3-2 at Tuominen Yard. The loss snapped Simon Fraser’s six-match unbeaten streak.
• The Clan cut the Cavalier lead to 3-2 in the 78th minute, when Matteo Polisi connected on a ball from Connor Glennon for his GNAC-leading sixth goal of the season.
• Despite 17 shots, Simon Fraser was unable to find the back of the net in non-conference action against Cal State Dominguez Hills.
• Mamadi Camara had a chance to seal the match late on but saw his penalty kick hit the crossbar with 10 minutes left in regulation.
• Simon Fraser captain and 2016 NCAA All-American Adam Jones will return to the lineup after missing the previous three matches through injury.
• The Clan host a pair of matches this week, beginning with Northwest Nazarene at 7 p.m. this Thursday. Two days later, Montana State Billings travels to Burnaby to continue its current hot streak.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
LAST WEEK: Won 4-2 at Concordia.
THIS WEEK: Oct. 5 vs. Seattle Pacific, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 7 vs. Northwest Nazarene, 7 p.m.
• Western Washington begins a four-game homestand this week, hosting Seattle Pacific on Thursday and Northwest Nazarene on Saturday. The Vikings are unbeaten in their last six games have started conference play 3-0.
• Facing Concordia last week, the Vikings scored four times during the first half to capture a 4-2 victory. Garrett Strawn recorded a goal and two assists while Anthony Dean scored twice.
• For the second time this season, Western Washington is playing the Falcons in GNAC action. In their most recent matchup on Sept. 23 at Interbay, the Vikings came away with a thrilling come-from-behind 3-2 overtime victory to hand Seattle Pacific its first loss of the season.
• Dean has recorded a goal or assist in all eight games this season. He is tied with former Viking Paul Nissley (2002) for most consecutive games with a point recorded in program history.
• Eight players have scored a goal for the Vikings this season, with five players have two or more. Strawn has a goal and three assists in his last two games while Stephen Jinneman has two goals and an assist over that stretch.
• The Vikings rank second in the GNAC and 18th in Division II with 17.25 shots per game. They also rank second in the GNAC with 59 corner kicks taken.