No. 2 Seattle Pacific Falcon Men win GNAC opener

SEATTLE – Christopher Morris took advantage of a Sioux Falls miscue to score his first goal of the season, and Anthony Mohammed tallied less than a minute into the second half on Thursday night as No. 2-ranked Seattle Pacific opened the Great Northwest Athletic Conference men’s soccer schedule by beating Sioux Falls at Interbay Stadium, 2-0.

Senior goalkeeper Zach Johnson (Snohomish, Wash. / Snohomish HS) picked up his second shutout of the season for the Falcons (5-0-0), who are off to their best start since winning the first six games of the 1991 campaign.

Sioux Falls (0-4) was making its GNAC debut as an affiliate conference member for men’s soccer only.

#3 Christopher Morris notched his first goal of the season in Thursday’s Falcons victory. (SPU photo)

Late in the 19th minute, Sioux Falls defender Mark Tollefsrud sent a back pass toward his goalkeeper, Kyle Simons. But Morris, sprinting after the ball into the right side of the penalty area, got to it before Simons did and headed it into the upper left corner of the net for his first goal of the year.

Quickly gaining possession after Sioux Falls kicked off to start the second half, SPU senior defender Jon Pearman (Glendale, Ariz.) sent a through ball down the left side and into the box. Mohammed took control, and, from 8 yards away, tucked it inside the left post at 45:28 for his first of the season.

Mohammed nearly doubled the lead just two minutes later when he ripped one point-blank from the top of the 6-yard box, but it went right into Simons’ chest, and he hung on to prevent any kind of rebound.

Seattle Pacific outshot the Cougars, 19-6. Johnson made three saves.

The University of Mary from Bismarck, N.D., the GNAC’s other new affiliate member for men’s soccer, visits the Falcons on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Interbay. SPU has beaten the Marauders in all five previous games, including 5-0 in Seattle and 5-2 in Bismarck last season.

NCAA MEN’S SOCCER
Thursday, Sept. 13, 2012
Interbay Stadium / Seattle, Wash.

Seattle Pacific 2, Sioux Falls 0

Scoring – 1, SPU: Christopher Morris (unassisted), 18:54; 2, SPU: Anthony Mohammed (Jon Pearman), 45:28.

Shots – SF 6, SPU 19.
Saves – SF (Kyle Simons) 8, SPU (Zach Johnson) 3.
Corner kicks – SF 3, SPU 4.
Fouls – SF 9, SPU 12.
Offsides – SF 0, SPU 1.
Cautions/ejections – SF: Mark Tollefsrud 14:49. SPU: Matt Merchant 89:54.
Attendance – 294.

Records – Seattle Pacific 5-0-0, 1-0-0 GNAC. Sioux Falls 0-4-0, 0-1-0 GNAC.

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