Western’s men’s soccer team fell to Seattle Pacific University on Thursday, Oct. 1, at Robert S. Harrington Field with a final score of 2-1.
This loss puts the Vikings at 1-2-1 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, placing them in sixth out of eight teams in the conference.
Western started off strong. By the tenth minute, senior Conner Pichette opened the game by scoring on SPU. This was only the second goal allowed by SPU so far this season.
Western defended well. At the 40-minute mark the Viking defense pulled off an excellent save on what looked to be an undisputable goal. Vikings were throwing themselves into the fray to block Falcon shots.
It was after the T-shirt and fanfare filled halftime that the Falcons came back.
With one goal scored the Vikings focused more on their offense. Though the initial energy was fantastic, not scoring soon after the first translated into a funk and some of the fervor petered out.
At the 64-minute mark SPU broke through and tied the game.
Western rallied against the attack. Defense tightened up and offense had a few good runs, too. There was a great breakout with about 19 minutes left, but it was quickly kicked out. Inevitably SPU defense proved stalwart and their offense ferocious.
Then at the 81-minute mark, SPU scored again.
Junior Brady Ulen, forward, commented on the loss.
“Our intensity off the start went well,” he said. “We just got too comfortable after we scored our first goal and started being lackadaisical; then the tables turned on us.”
Instead of putting in effort for only half the game, the team will be coming out for the full ninety minutes, Ulen said about the next game.
“[We] just got to bounce back and work on little mistakes,” head coach Greg Brisbon said after the game. “Hopefully we can improve.”
Western’s next match against Saint Martin’s is at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3, at Harrington Field.
