GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) - For the first time since the 2006 season, the Green Bay (9-4-1, 4-2-0 HL) men's soccer team won its fifth consecutive regular-season game, shutting out Valparaiso (7-7-2, 1-5-0 HL) 1-0 Saturday night.

The Phoenix returned to Aldo Santaga Stadium for the first time since Sept. 26 as goalkeeper Ryan Wehking (St. Louis, Mo.) recorded his third shutout of the season.

"After being on the road for so long, it was important for us to stay on the winning track at home and hopefully close out the regular season by winning at home," said head coach Tom Poitras.

The Phoenix controlled the majority of the first half outshooting the Crusaders 6-4. Green Bay's two shots on goal came in the 29th and 31st minute.

At 29:59, David Bernhardsson (Tjorn, Sweden) was deep in the box and took a header shot that was just high enough for keeper Ryan Schwarz to tip it out of play, setting up a corner kick for Green Bay. At 31:09 JC Banks (Milwaukee, Wis.) beat his defender and while gathering control of the ball, got too deep in the box causing his shot to be wide.

Banks fired four shots total in the half while Bernhardsson added two. Wehking had one save in the first 45 minutes of action.

Large amounts of fog settling onto the field in the second half didn't stop Banks from finding the back of the net.

In the 69th minute, Banks was at the top right corner of the box when he turned towards the net, shot between two defenders and laid the ball in the lower left corner for the goal.

"He's simply one of the best players in the country in college soccer and one of the most creative players we've had here in a long time. It's not a shock to us when he does those amazing things," commented Poitras. "I actually thought his chances earlier in the game were easier than when he scored the goal."

The goal was Banks' seventh throughout Green Bay's five-game winning streak and 10th of the season.

Banks led all players with nine shots, three on goal, as Green Bay outshot the Crusaders 18-11 in the contest. Wehking finished with four saves.

After starting conference play 0-2, Green Bay has not lost a contest. With the win tonight, the Phoenix eliminated Valpo from the six-team Horizon League Championship.

"It feels good to be in the position we're in after starting conference play the way we did. It was important for us to get points out of every conference game and we've done that to this point," said junior Tony Walls (Wauwatosa, Wis.).

The conference race continues to be tight as three teams, Green Bay, Cleveland State and Detroit, all have four wins. Should Green Bay finish the season with a #2 seed, it would earn a first-round bye in the Horizon League Championship which kicks off Nov. 9.

Green Bay will play it final regular season road game at Western Illinois on Tuesday, Oct. 26. The Phoenix will wrap up the regular season at home hosting Loyola on Oct. 30 followed by Wright State on Nov. 6.