SEATTLE – Hawai'i Pacific University let a quick goal get by in the 11th minute and that was difference as Seattle Pacific edged HPU 2-1 in non-conference men's soccer action on Thursday night at Interbay Stadium.
 
The Sharks (1-1) and Falcons (2-3) were nearly equal in the statistics, but the early goal after a two-week layoff was the difference maker.
 
SPU put up a goal in each half before the Sharks answered with a tally of their own, but even a forward push by HPU couldn't get the equalizer.
 
The Falcons got on the board in the 11th minute on Titus Grant's looping shot from the top of the box after a long pass from Alden Masseyl to go up 1-0.
 
The Sharks gathered and fought even the rest of the first half to go to intermission down 1-0.
 
In the second half, SPU's Mario Vukic followed an HPU foul by getting the ball into a crowd three feet from the goal mouth and Jake Ferry put it in four minutes into the half to put the Falcons up 2-0.
 
The Sharks countered and scored just five minutes later, when freshman Makana Srivongsana from Honolulu/Kaiser blasted a 16-yard shot into the open net to pull HPU back to 2-1.
 
But that would be the only score for the Sharks.
 
The Sharks fired 10 shots against SPU goalkeeper Lars Helleren, who posted two saves with the goal allowed. HPU keeper Chandler Schur of Fayetteville, Pa./Chambersburg Career Magnet tallied three saves and the two goals allowed in facing 11 Falcon shots.
 
HPU doesn't have much time to dwell on the first loss of the season as the Sharks travel 90 miles north to face Western Washington on Saturday night. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. HST (7 p.m. PDT) at Harrington Field in Bellingham, Wash.