Redhawks win finale, will play in Mountain Pacific in 2009

Kyle Peterman scored in his 3rd straight match for Seattle U.
(SU photo)

(From GoSeattleU.com) FRESNO, Calif. – Four different players scored goals for the Seattle University men’s soccer team as it concluded the 2008 campaign with a 4-2 victory over Fresno Pacific Monday afternoon at Ramirez Field.

The game-winning goal came almost six minutes into the second half, as Kyle Peterman (Boise, Idaho) slipped a shot past Fresno Pacific goalie Tim Nightingale to give Seattle University a 3-2 lead. Peterman scored his team-leading seventh goal of the season, earning a goal in three straight matches and five of the last seven contests for the Redhawks. Seattle University had dominated the action after halftime, as Peterman took a shot and Sean Morris (Bothell, Wash.) had two solid chances turned away before Peterman’s goal.

Seattle University added an insurance goal in the 84^th minute as Marshall Kosaka (Burien, Wash.) beat his defender and sent a rocket shot past Nightingale for his second goal of the season. Kosaka’s goal came after Fresno Pacific had two corner kick chances, but a header shot by Valentin Gonzalez went high and a scoring attempt by Vitor Machado, who scored the first goal of the match, was stopped by Seattle goalie Jordan Jennings (Tacoma, Wash.).

Down 1-0 midway through the first half, Mutanda Kwesele (Seattle, Wash.) sent a crossing pass into the box from the right side, and Andrew Kreiter (Billings, Mont.) redirected the ball into the net on one touch to tie the match. Less than a minute later, the Sunbirds regained the lead as Seattle University committed a foul in the box, leading to a penalty kick goal by Daniel Spieth.

With just over three minutes remaining before halftime, Morris sent a free kick to the right side of the box, where Jake Ellig (Richland, Wash.) was stationed on the play. Ellig converted on his scoring chance for his first goal of the season, while Morris picked up his third assist of the year. Seattle University was able to go into halftime tied 2-2 despite being outshot by the Sunbirds, 12-3.

Jennings made six saves in earning his fifth victory of the season, while Nightingale was credited with four saves for Fresno Pacific (9-7-1). With the victory, Seattle University ends the 2008 season on a five-match winning streak, four of those victories coming on the road.

Seattle University concludes the season with an 11-3-1 record, the eighth straight season with a winning record for the program. The team started off its transition to Division I by defeating Cleveland State and North Florida for the UC Irvine College Classic title, swept through a trip to Florida with victories over Florida Gulf Coast and Florida Atlantic, and posted dramatic road victories over Portland and Cal State Bakersfield.

Four of the top five scorers from this season (Kyle Peterman, Ian Walsh, Wesley Van Hooser, Sean Morris) are eligible to return next season, as are starting defenders Will Banchero, Derek Rogalsky, and Demaci Roussos and goalie Emerson DeOliveira. Along with Cal State Bakersfield, the Seattle University men’s soccer program will join the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation in 2009, competing against Denver, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV, Sacramento State, and Air Force.

More college news: The Seattle Pacific Women, ranked 4th in NCAA II, will host regional playoff matches this weekend. The Western Washington Vikings will also be in Seattle for this same regional.