SEATTLE, Wash. –  After battling for 110 minutes on Thursday, the Humboldt State men's soccer team and the Falcons of Seattle Pacific University ended their match in a 1-1 tie.  The result moves the Jacks record to 1-0-1 while Seattle Pacific is now 2-0-2.

Statistically the Falcons dominated the first half outshooting the Jacks 14-0.  HSU's junior keeper Kyle Verle turned away the first five shots on goal, but in the 44th minute Seattle Pacific midfielder Richie Evoy hit a header from the left side of the goal that found the back of the net.  The teams went to the locker room at the half with SPU leading 1-0.

The Jacks finally got off their first shot in the 57th minute.  At the 62:41 mark, Josh Suggs, a native of Las Cruces, N.M., broke away and took a through ball from Brian Holmes to score the equalizer, his second of the year.  The shot was low into the bottom left side of the net and was the first allowed by a Seattle Pacific keeper in three plus matches this season.

The Lumberjacks survived being outshot 7-2 in the final 27 minutes of the second half and the match went to overtime tied 1-1.

The first overtime saw each team have several chances, with HSU's Josh Suggs taking three of the Jacks four shots, but neither side was able to score and they went to a second overtime.  Suggs got off the only two shots of the second overtime, but the final whistle blew and the match ended in a 1-1 tie.

For the second match in a row Suggs led the Lumberjacks offense with six shots.  He now has 13 shots on the season and has scored a goal in each of HSU matches.  Holmes' assist was his first of the year.

“I was disappointed that we didn't come out to play today,” head coach Christian Johnson said.  “We allowed them to set the pace for the first 60 minutes.  We finally got things going after Josh's goal and played well the last 30 minutes of regulation.  Both teams had opportunities to win the match, but in the first overtime Josh had a shot that was cleared on the goal line that could have ended it. 

“We could have played a lot better, but perhaps with the length of the travel and it being our first game on the road we let down a bit.”


Humboldt State's road trip continues on Saturday when they take on the Vikings of Western Washington University (1-1-0) in Bellingham, Wash.  Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.  Then on Monday, Sept. 7, HSU wraps up the three-game trip with a 2 p.m. start in Lacey, Wash. against Saint Martin's University (2-2-0).