Nearly four weeks after Western men's football team beat Montana State University-Billings, holding two first half goals, the Yellowjackets stung back, defeating the Vikings 3-1 in a major Conference sports Northwest match Thursday, 20 silver, Orca field.
When the Vikings (3-2-0, 5-6-0 GNAC) allowed a goal from MSU-Billings Tyler Moriarty in the third minute only appeared to be a great night for Western men.
MSU-billings would have led 1-0 for 20 minutes before being allowed a penalty Western senior Sean Conner a direct free kick.
"This is something that I've worked hard this year and my whole life," said Conner. "It was a point that I would really like to kick off, so I felt really confident."
This confidence has borne fruit. Conner is the only signal of the MSU-Billings goalkeeper Eoin Hurley, tying the match 1-1.
Although the match was knotted the rest of the half, the momentum appeared to favor the Vikings, with the Western junior "Jin" Sujinda Dangvan and senior Tyler Bjork finding decent looks on target.
Play continued like this until the Vikings handed the ball to their own side of the field, allowing MSU-charging of Haakon VII Taylor an autonomous car from 12 yards, breaking the tie and give the Yellowjackets a 2-1 advantage.
"We played very well, especially during the first half, and we had the chances," West coach Travis Connell D. said. "But when you give up a goal, it changes the game".
The Vikings settled after the early goal, said goalkeeper West freshman Keegan Rogers. They took eight shots in the first period, but, as he and Connell D., changed the game.
Western men committed eight fouls in the second half, after committing just three in the first, and took three fewer shots.
Rogers "did not capitalize on our opportunities and [MSU-Billings] exploited all their own," he said. "Kudos to them."
The West tried to rally around late in the final period, while the Yellowjackets tried to wear the clock, kicking the ball out of bounds several times in a row. But the Vikings gave another important opportunity and a second goal, again by Moriarty, this time in the 88th minute.
This will prove the killing blow to the Western men.
"It is clear that we wanted to do our best, but sometimes things just don't go your way," said Conner. "We had a couple of mental errors led to a pair of goals."
Statistics in this game seems to have flipped from the last time the Vikings met the Yellowjackets on Sept 24. West scored twice with only six shots on their first meeting at MSU-Billings, but could just sneak in a goal for 13 shots Thursday.
MSU-Billings, on the other hand, saw a high percentage of shots startling find the back of the net Thursday. In just 10 shots, scored three goals as the Yellowjackets.
"We must not let the goals like this," said Connell D.. "To defend much better than this."
Connell d. said group not enough pressure in the Middle creating scoring opportunities, but he expects the Vikings will bounce back again for the match with Northwest Nazarene at 7 p.m. Saturday, 22 silver, and again in the Orca.
WHAT IS THE POINT?
Western men football team is the second fewest points in the GNAC 44 this season. It has only 16 goals in 11 games — Simon Fraser University has 45/12 games.
Team points
Simon Fraser 132
Seattle Pacific 64
MSU-Billings 52
Northwest Nazarene 51
West 44
Saint Martin's 42
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