“It’s always difficult to win on the road unless you’re playing weak teams,” said Head Coach Frank Doyle. “We didn’t play any weak teams. Three wins and two losses in seven days is respectable.”
HPU began and ended the trip with two shutouts, the first against Dominican University in San Rafael, Calif. On Oct. 3, co-captain Christian Nilsson scored the solo goal of the match in the 56th minute of the game, off an assist by Michael King, to defeat the Penguins 1-0, in a nonconference match up.

Two days later, the Sea Warriors faced off against PacWest Conference opponent Notre Dame de Namur (NDNU). The Argonauts lead in the first half 1-0 and continued the momentum in the second half, scoring four goals in 18 minutes. The Sea Warriors’ Jeff Dworsky scored a goal in the 79th minute, but NDNU defeated HPU 5-1.

Following the loss, the Sea Warriors flew to Phoenix, Ariz. to take on Grand Canyon University (GCU) on Oct. 7. Despite the 95 degree weather, HPU managed to take an early lead, as junior Andre Whitt scored in the 12th minute of the game.

The Antelopes responded by scoring three goals in the first half, two by GCU senior David Hague, who would end up scoring two more goals in the second half. HPU struggled without fullbacks King and Michael Decaires, who were ineligible to play due to getting red-card penalties which led to ejection from the NDNU game.

Despite the seven saves by HPU goalkeeper Matt Terry, the Antelope offense was relentless and out shot HPU 21-7. Unable to contain Hague, and without two key players, the Sea Warriors took a beating from the Antelopes, 7-1.

HPU was scheduled to play another game that night against sixth-ranked Seattle Pacific University, but the game was cancelled due to a car accident that injured several SPU players.

On Oct. 8, the Sea Warriors bounced back from the GCU loss, and defeated Western Washington University (WWU) 1-0. The match was evenly fought, but HPU pulled away in overtime as King scored in the 94th minute on a free kick. HPU goalkeeper Nilsson also had 12 saves for the game.
On Oct. 9, the Sea Warriors were determined to avenge their season-opener loss against Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The Eagles, out of Prescott, Ariz. and part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) conference, defeated HPU 1-0, on Sept. 1. The Sea Warriors did not let that happen in the second game, as they crushed the Eagles 5-0, ending their road trip with a second shutout.

“ The games we won, we were focused for the entire game,” said Doyle.