SPU Men Come Home to Take 6th Straight, Beat Billings 5-1
Five different players get a goal each in thrashing of Yellowjackets
September 28, 2004

SEATTLE (Sept. 28) -- Ross Vaillancourt assisted on three first-half goals and 10th-ranked Seattle Pacific University erupted for a season-high score in beating Montana State Billings 5-1 in a non-conference men's soccer game at Interbay Stadium Tuesday night.

It was the sixth straight win for the Falcons (8-1-1), who got goals from Andy Willis (So., Gig Harbor, Wa.), James Coggan (Fr., San Jose, Ca.), Jeff Hallenbeck (Fr., Redmond, Wa./Inglemoor), Nate Elmenhurst (Fr., Bothell, Wa./Woodinville) and Brent Egbert (Sr., Bellingham, Wa./Sehome) to stretch their unbeaten string to nine games. It was the first SPU home game since Aug. 30.

Willis volleyed home a ball from Vaillancourt (Jr., Bedford, NH) on Seattle Pacific's first shot of the game in the 11th minute for his third goal in as many games. Egbert notched his team-high ninth goal while extending his consecutive games with a point to eight. Coggan, Hallenbeck and Elmenhurst each scored their first collegiate goals.

The Falcons scored twice in a span of three minutes late in the first half to break open the match. Coggan took down a long ball from Vaillancourt, beat a defender and slammed home an 8-yard shot at 37:31. An Egbert free kick to Vaillancourt put Hallenbeck in the clear for a 3-0 lead at 40:39.

The Yellowjackets (4-7-0), who dropped their third in a row, had one threatening first-half shot. Greg McKeever's shot hit the left post in the 26th minute. They averted a shutout with 75 seconds remaining on Matt D¹Hont¹s 15-yard strike into the upper right corner.

SPU finished with a 16-8 advantage in shots nad 6-2 in corner kicks. James Ward (Sr., Salem, Or./Sprague) made one save before coming out of the net to play in the field. Kellen Rosten (Fr., Colorado Springs, Co/Doherty) played the final 25 minutes in goal.

SPU hosts Humboldt State in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference game Saturday at 4.

Scoring--1, SPU, Willis (Vaillancourt) 10:38; 2, SPU, Coggan (Vaillancourt) 37:31; 3, SPU, Hallenbeck (Vaillancourt, Egbert) 40:39; 4, SPU, Elmenhurst (unassisted) 55:34; 5, SPU, Egbert (Willis) 75:43; 6, MSB, D'Hont (Palmer) 88:45.

Shots--MSB 8, SPU 16.

Saves--MSB (Bales) 3, SPU (Ward 1/Rosten 0) 1.

Corner kicks--MSB 2, SPU 6. Fouls--MSB 10, SPU 16.

Offside--MSB 3, SPU 1.

Cautions--Boltz, MSB, 11:45; Pertuit, MSB, 68:38; Falco, SPU, 73:46; McKeever, MSB, 76:26.