SPU Men Blank Western Men on Road, 1-0
October 16, 2004

BELLINGHAM, Wash. (Oct. 16) ­Jeff Hallenbeck scored the game's only goal and James Ward made four saves to preserve the shutout, giving 17th-ranked Seattle Pacific University a 1-0 win over Western Washington Saturday night at Civic Stadium in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference men's soccer game.

Hallenbeck (Fr., Redmond, Wa./Inglemoor), last spring's state 4A co-player of the year making his first collegiate start, got the game-winner in the 59th minute. He finished from 6 yards into an empty net after Brent Egbert (Sr., Bellingham, Wa./Sehome) had flicked David Selby's (Sr., Aloha, Or./Southridge) long free kick past Vikings goalie Ben Dragavon near the top of the box.

Ward preserved the outcome in the 74th minute, stopping a 15-yard volley by Western Washington's Kris Pope.

The win was Seattle Pacific's sixth consecutive on the road and the eighth in nine games overall. It kept the Falcons in contention for both the GNAC championship and an NCAA Division II playoff berth.

Egbert, who contributed a point for the 10th time in the last 11 games, tested Dragavon twice in the first half, when SPU (3-1-0, 10-2-1) controlled play and had an 8-3 advantage in shots.

Western was the aggressor in the second period and finished with a 14-12 edge in shots and 7-3 in corner kicks. It was the Vikings' (1-2-0, 10-5-0) third straight defeat The Falcons face Simon Fraser at home in a non-conference game Tuesday night at 7.

Scoring--1, SPU, Hallenbeck (Egbert, Selby) 58:21.

Shots--SPU 12, WWU 14.

Saves--SPU (Ward) 4, WWU (Dragavon) 3.

Corner kicks--SPU 3, WWU 7.

Fouls--SPU 14, WWU 25.

Offside--SPU 0, WWU 0.

Cautions--Lane, WWU, 11:33; Hopp, WWU, 40:21; Smith, SPU, 63:57; Milsten, WWU, 69:10.