No. 24 SPU Men Win GNAC Opener, Unbeaten in Five Games
September 14, 2004

ARCATA, Calif. (Sept. 14) ­Nick Letts set-up Brent Egbert for a pair of goals in the first 13 minutes and 24th-ranked Seattle Pacific University went on to win its Great Northwest Athletic Conference men's soccer opener, 3-9 over Humboldt State Tuesday.

Egbert (Sr., Bellingham, Wa./Sehome) scored his fourth and fifth goals in the last four games to help the Falcons (4-1-1) extend their unbeaten string to five games. Ross Vaillancourt (Jr., Bedford, NH) added a penalty kick shortly before halftime and the defense posted its third shutout.

Letts (Jr., Dublin, Ca.) split two defenders but was then tripped in the box, earning a penalty kick for Egbert 3 minutes, 1 second after kickoff. Letts later sprung Egbert on a breakaway in the 13th minute, with Egbert taking the outlet pass and converting past HSU goalie Andrew Byers from 14 yards.

Vaillancourt's goal came after Jeff Hallenbeck (Fr., Redmond, Wa./Inglemoor) wSPU is off to its best start in seven years. It has outscored opponents 6-1 in the first half this season.as taken down in the box at 42:50.

James Ward (Sr., Salem, Or.) and Kellen Rosten (Fr., Colorado Springs, Co.) shared the shutout in goal, combining for four saves. The Falcons out-shot the Lumberjacks (3-5-0) 15-8 and had a 7-2 edge in corner kicks.

Seattle Pacific's seven-game road trip resumes Saturday in Miami when the Falcons face Tampa.

Scoring--1, SPU, Egbert (penalty kick) 3:01; 2, SPU, Egbert (Letts) 12:46; 3, SPU, Vaillancourt (penalty kick) 42:50.

Shots--SPU 15, HSU 8.

Saves--SPU (Ward 3/Rosten 1) 4, HSU (Byers 1/Schwerin 2) 3.

Corner kicks--SPU 7, HSU 2.

Fouls--SPU 19, HSU 23.

Cautions--Valadao, HSU, 22:38; Norgeot, HSU, 42:50; Parker, HSU, 89:49.