The SFU men’s soccer team battled for two big wins on the road this past week as they retained their perfect record in the young 2013 season. After a perfect 4-0 non-conference start, the Clan headed south to Montana and Idaho to open their Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) season with games against Montana State University — Billings (MSUB) and Northwest Nazarene University (NNU).
The two teams have proven difficult competitors in the Clan’s past, and this trip proved no different as the men were forced to finish both games in comeback style.
Against MSUB, the home team opened the scoring in the first half, something that didn’t sit well with the Clan, lighting a fire under the team’s offence as the men worked to return the favour. The reply came early in the second half as Chris Bargholz connected with an Alexander Kleefeldt pass to net SFU’s first goal of conference play.
The importance of the win was evident as both teams battled relentlessly throughout the 90 minute match: MSUB received seven yellow cards and the Clan were awarded four.
At the 75th minute mark the Clan took the lead as transfer Johannes Hallman scored unassisted to clinch the win for the visitors. It would be his first goal of the season, but not his last as he would be able to find the back of the net in the second game of the weekend as well.
Two days later after their conference-opening win, the Clan took on NNU, the only West Region team to have bested them in 2012. Again, the visitors found themselves down a goal in the first period, but fans saw history repeat itself as SFU was able to pull off another come-from-behind victory.
The Clan struck early in the second half once again, as only two minutes into the period Hallman struck a Robert Hyams pass for his second tally of the weekend. This time it was Carlo Basso that ended the scoring in the match, netting a ball from goalkeeper Brandon Watson, for his second of the season.
The freshman netminder recorded eight saves in the game to allow the Clan to improve to a 6-0 record.
Following the successful start to their GNAC campaign the SFU men have retained their top spot on the National Soccer Association of American NCAA Division II coach’s poll. It is their second consecutive week at the top of the rankings, after they opened the season ranked third.
The men will be aiming to improve to 8-0 as they host South Dakota School of Mines in their GNAC home opener then Saint Mary’s University two days later before returning to the road as they look to continue a fourth dominant season atop the GNAC and in the NCAA Division II.
