NAMPA, Idaho – Northwest Nazarene made a pair of first half goals stand up and withstood a second half College of Idaho rally to top the Yotes, 3-1, at the NNU Soccer Field.
C of I (0-1) cut the margin to 2-1 in the 72nd minute on a pretty combination between
Ben Bechor and
Bekir Cinac – but could not get the equalizer.
The Division II Nighthawks, playing the game as an exhibition, scored twice in the opening 30 minutes and had a third goal wiped off due to an offside call.
Carlos Rodriguez opened the scoring at the end of the 12th minute, taking a touch from Brandon Parsio and lining a shot into the right corner of the net. Just 15 minutes later, Cameron Natvig intercepted a failed C of I clearance and beat keeper
Parker Billings to the near post for a 2-0 edge.
The Yotes nearly got a goal back in the 30th minute, as a Bechor drive in the area was thwarted by a diving Alex Nadermann, while a Cinac shot in the 56th minute by Cinac was stopped by Sawyer Price.
The duo pulled C of I within 2-1, as Bechor played a ball to the end line right of the goal, slotting a pass across the goal mouth to the waiting Cinac, who ripped a one-timer into the top right corner of the goal.
C of I had the momentum after keeper
Zac Dean stopped a Dominic Abdel-Ahad penalty kick, but NNU got an insurance tally in the 78th minute by Aoci Watambela – a nifty 18-yard drive after eluding three defenders.
NNU held a 13-7 edge in total shots, including seven on frame and recorded all nine corner kicks in the contest.
The Yotes return to action next weekend, traveling to Division III opponents, Linfield and George Fox.
