Yerkes Comes Off Bench for Hat Trick in SPU Win Over 'Jacks
October 24, 2003

SEATTLE (Oct. 24) – Jeremy Yerkes came off the bench to score three goals in the final 31 minutes as Seattle Pacific University defeated Humboldt State 3-2 in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference men’s soccer game Friday at Interbay Stadium.

The Falcons (2-1-1/7-6-2) also got two assists from Any Willis (Fr., Gig Harbor, Wa.) in winning their sixth straight at home while the Lumberjacks (0-4-0/2-16-0) suffered their 16th straight loss.

All of Yerkes’ (Jr., Gresham, Or.) goals came on headers, with the third snapping a 2-2 tie with 10 minutes, 6 seconds remaining. He nodded in a cross from Willis at the far post for his sixth goal of the season.

Humboldt State had tied the game just four minutes earlier, at 75:34, when Derek Dixon beat SPU keeper Michael Lockwood to a through ball from Brad O’Leary near the penalty spot.

The ‘Jacks nearly sent the match into overtime in the dying seconds of regulation. Ryan Parker hit the right post from 9 yards and Karl Meyer’s rebound attempt was cleared out by a defender.

Yerkes entered the game with 10:10 gone in the second half and netted the equalizer less than five minutes later. He put Seattle Pacific ahead 2-1 by finishing a high service from David Selby (Jr., Aloha, Or.) to the near post in the 68th minute. The hat trick was the first for the Falcons since Joel Malick ‘s four-goal game in 2000.

Scoreless in their first eight meetings with SPU, the Lumberjacks struck the opening goal in the 29th minute. A long right-wing cross from Derek Dixon was volleyed in from 6 yards by Justin Gyenis.

James Ward, who had started all 14 previous games in goal for the Falcons, started in midfield but was ejected with 36 seconds to go.

SPU, which plays its final four games at home, hosts Simon Fraser in a nonconference game Wednesday at 7.

Scoring—
1, HSU, Gyenis (Dixon, G. Scott) 28:58;
2, SPU, Yerkes (Willis) 59:36;
3, SPU, Yerkes (Selby) 67:34;
4, HSU, Dixon (O’Leary) 75:34;
5, SPU, Yerkes (Willis) 79:54.

Shots—HSU 8, SPU 10.

Saves—HSU (Schwerin) 1, SPU (Lockwood) 1.

Corner kicks—HSU 2, SPU 5.

Fouls—HSU 18, SPU 16.

Cautions—Deorr, HSU, 30:21; O’Leary, HSU, 31:27; Morris, SPU, 43:15; Ward, SPU, 67:02; Dixon, HSU, 73:52.

Ejections—Ward, SPU, 89:24.