EUGENE, Ore. – A first-half penalty kick gave NCU a 1-0 lead and the defense did the rest of the work as the Beacons held on for a shutout win over The College of Idaho in Cascade Collegiate Conference action on Sunday evening.
 
The victory gives NCU (3-7-2, 2-5-1 CCC) back-to-back wins for the first time since the 2012 season and lifts the Beacons over C of I (5-7, 2-6) into sixth place in the Cascade Collegiate Conference.
 
NCU out-shot the Yotes 15-12 in a fast-paced game that featured 30 combined fouls and 15 combined corner kicks.
 
The games only score came in the 32nd minute after a Yote defender fouled a charging Sergio Maldonado as he made his way into the box. Junior Angel Sandoval got the call for the ensuing penalty kick, NCU's second in as many games. The midfielders shot went low and to the left of CI keeper Grant Billings for what would amount to a game-winning goal.
 
Assistant Coach Juan Guitron said, "We've been working on getting the ball out wide and we executed that plan tonight. Our aggression and speed led to another PK. When we play it out to the wings and get aggressive from the corners, good things happen."
 
After facing just one shot-on-goal in the first half, NCU keeper Bren Bletscher was challenged later in the second half but was able to come up with three more saves to preserve his second shutout of the season.
 
Assistant Coach Aaron Franklin said, "We did a great job as a unit to keep the ball out of our net tonight. Bren in the back and Steve Jusko and Ian Hawksford (pictured) in the middle were really organized and didn't allow many dangerous situations. We talked a lot about working hard for each other and the guys did that for 90 minutes."
 
Billings finished with four saves for The College of Idaho. Kyler Auernhamer paced the offensive attack with three shots, including half of their shots on goal.
 
Northwest Christian returns to the pitch on Wednesday, traveling to face Evergreen in Olympia, Washington at 3 p.m. The Yotes return home to host Warner Pacific on Wednesday before welcoming the Beacons into Caldwell on Saturday at 3 p.m.