BURNABY, B.C. – The SFU Red Leafs went on the road and parlayed a phenomenal game from goalkeeper Justyn Sandhu into a tight 1-0 win over the Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks on Thursday afternoon. Hamish Ogden's second-half marker was all the offence SFU needed on the day, as the Red Leafs remain undefeated in conference play at 7-0-1 and are winners of seven straight.

A senior from Richmond, B.C., Sandhu was spectacular in a five-save first half, and kept SFU (10-2-2, 7-0-1 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) level amidst an onslaught of pressure from the Nighthawks (4-6-5, 2-3-4 GNAC). NNU put nine shots towards Sandhu's goal in the opening 45 minutes alone, five of which made its way to Sandhu. He denied the Hawks at every turn, keeping the game scoreless at the half.

The Red Leafs seemed eager to repay their keeper's excellence in the second frame, but their first four shots of the half were blocked by some excellent Nighthawk defending. Finally, at the 69-minute mark, SFU drew first blood.

With the Red Leafs on attack near the Nighthawks six-yard box, defender Jorge Gonzalez got his head on a long cross in from the left flank. However, his header found only SFU's Niko Papakyriakopoulos (New Westminster, B.C.), who deftly deflected it to Ogden in space. The junior midfielder from Port Moody, B.C., wasted no time, taking a step past the Nighthawks defender before putting the ball on goal. The left-footer seemed to handcuff NNU keeper Sawyer Price, who got a piece of the ball before it found its way to the back of the goal.

NNU's final, and maybe best attempt to tie it up came with less than two minutes remaining. After Sandhu punched a long ball away from the SFU cage, the rebound landed right at the feet of Gonzalez. The defender's rocket of a shot sailed on him, as it went over the SFU cage out of harm's way.

With the win, the Red Leafs (2.75 points per game) maintained their advantage over Western Oregon (2.30 ppg) in the chase for the GNAC championship and the league's automatic berth to the NCAA tournament.

SFU has one more road test this weekend, as they head to Bellingham, Washington, to take on the Western Washington Vikings on Saturday, November 4. The Red Leafs will be looking to sweep the season series with the Vikings after beating them 3-1 at Terry Fox Field back in early October.

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