KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – The NCU men's soccer team made a furious fight out of an early 4-0 deficit, but couldn't finish the job, losing to Oregon Tech on Saturday night, 6-4 in Cascade Collegiate Conference action at Steen Sports Park. OIT clung to victory, despite playing shorthanded for the final 55 minutes of the game.

The shoot-out started early with Oregon Tech being awarded a questionable penalty kick just two minutes into the game on a phantom hand ball call inside the box. Antonio Jaimes scored the free shot, and before the game was even 24 minutes old, the Owls had mounted a 4-0 lead.

The Beacons finally responded with a goal of their own in the 26th minute. Brady Sherriff had a shot go off of a post and Chris Wilgus (pictured) found the rebound, firing home the score.

Leading 4-1, Oregon Tech was dealt a blow in the 35th minute. Within a span of 49 seconds, the Owl's Raul Tovar was flagged for two yellow-card infractions, giving him a red card and a seat on the bench for the remainder of the game. OIT played down a man for the remainder of the game, but needed just over one minute to put the Beacons on notice that they were still playing for the win. Victor Corona scored in the 36th minute, giving himself a hat-trick, and giving Oregon Tech a 5-1 lead that they would carry into the second half.

The Beacons, however, refused to go quietly, and used their 11-on-10 advantage to their benefit. Just over two minutes into the second half, Sherriff took a pass from Denton Brown and scored from five-yards, making it 5-2.

In the 69th minute it was #T.J. Prentice#, this time getting a rebound off of a saved shot by Wilgus and punching in the score. The Beacons were now down 5-3 and making a game of it, when in the 76th minute, Victor Corona scored his fourth goal of the night, chipping the ball past NCU keeper Nick Kratzke for the insurance goal.

The Beacons added one more goal of their own in the 77th minute on another rebound. Wilgus was once again the benefactor, heading in a ball off of a blocked shot by Jun Yoon.

At the midway point of the Cascade Collegiate Conference schedule, the Beacons are now 2-5 (5-6 overall), and sitting in eighth place in the CCC. The Beacons, however, are just one win out of a tie for fourth. The top-four teams qualify for the conference playoffs and NCU will play five of their final seven games of the regular season at home.

The Beacons start by taking on Concordia this Friday at the Regional Sports Center in Springfield at 3:00 pm.