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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6 --
(#12) Seattle Pacific at Saint Martin's
3:00 p.m. PDT, SMU Soccer Field, Lacey, Wash.
•LiveStats:  http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/spu.portal# 
 
A single outing this week completes a five-game road trip for the 12th-ranked Seattle Pacific men's soccer team. The third-place Falcons (7-1-2, 3-1-2 GNAC) finish their first swing through the Great Northwest Athletic Conference schedule with a visit to Saint Martin's (2-8-0, 1-5-0 GNAC) on Saturday, Oct. 6. Kick-off is 3 p.m. at SMU Soccer Field in Lacey, Wash. SPU was victorious in each of its last four encounters with the Saints. The Falcons are vying for their 32nd NCAA Division II Tournament berth. They advanced to the West Regional championship game last fall.
 
On the Road Again
Seattle Pacific seeks to secure a winning record on the current five-game road trip that concludes Saturday at Saint Martin's. The Falcons are 1-1-2 during that stretch, capped by a 1-0 win at Western Washington (Sept. 29). The good news is that five of their last seven contests are at home, starting with a pair of games next week.
 


Ranking Report
Seattle Pacific dropped nine spots, to No. 12, in this week's national poll. SPU received its highest men's soccer ranking in 18 years with a No. 2 listing in the NCAA Division II poll that was released Sept. 10 by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). That was the Falcons highest poll position since a No. 1 ranking on Sept. 20, 1994. Current SPU assistant coach Nate Daligcon was a starting midfielder on that top-ranked team. Fifth-year head coach Mark Collings played for the Falcons from 1995-98, but none of the SPU teams he played on climbed as high in the rankings as the current team he is coaching. The Falcons were ranked No. 3 last week. Simon Fraser is the only other GNAC team in the poll, listed at No. 7 this week.
 
Falcons Fast Facts
SPU shut out four opponents this season while being blanked just once, in a scoreless tie at Northwest Nazarene (Sept. 20) ... Junior forward Blaine Carver leads the Falcons with four goals, doubling his scoring output from 2011 ... SPU is outscoring opponents 18-11 with a balanced attack that features 11 players who scored at least one goal. The Falcons outshot foes 157-105, including a 63-29 advantage in shots directly on goal ... Senior goalkeeper Zach Johnson compiled a 1.05 goals against average and blanked four opponents, upping his career total to 19 shutouts.
 
Recent Recap
The Falcons sustained their first setback, losing 5-1 at Simon Fraser (Sept. 27). Freshman Matt Merchant netted the team's lone goal on a penalty kick. SPU recovered with a 1-0 win at Western Washington (Sept. 29) on a 61st-minute goal by Blaine Carver. Goalkeeper Zach Johnson registered his fourth shutout of the season.
 
Stellar Start
This year's Falcons equaled the best start in school history with six season-opening wins. The 1985 and 1991 SPU squads both started 6-0 before both lost in their seventh outing. The 1985 team proceeded to win the third of SPU's five NCAA titles.
 
2012 Preview
Eight starters return from the SPU men's soccer team that registered a 14-4-2 record and advanced to the West Regional final of the 2011 NCAA Division II Tournament. Heading the list of returnees are first-team All-America defender Jon Pearman and honorable mention goalkeeper selection Zach Johnson. They lead a defense that compiled 11 shutouts and a 0.88 goals against average. The midfield features first-team All-GNAC standout Caleb Nyone. Helping ease the loss of the team's top-three scorers, including All-American Tyler Schultz, is junior forward Blaine Carver along with frontline mates Elliot Morton and Kyle Peterman who were both sidelined last season due to injury.
 
This Week's Opponent
Saint Martin's (2-8-0, 1-5-0 GNAC) -- The Saints scored just once during their last four games, losing all of them. They were on the short end of a 6-0 loss at Simon Fraser (Sept. 30) in the last outing. Dylan Gaydosh accounted for six of SMU's eight goals this season. Goalkeepers JJ Olson, Eric Owen and Mikey Boswell combined for one shutout and a 3.10 goals against average. The Falcons won the last four meetings, including a 3-0 win in last year's visit to Lacey, Wash. SPU owns a 7-3 advantage in the all-time series.
 
Coach Collings
Fifth-year coach Mark Collings is the third head coach in the 45-year history of Seattle Pacific men's soccer. He has a 48-26-12 record with the Falcons. Collings directed SPU to a 14-4-2 record in 2011, capped by its first playoff appearance in five years. The Falcons earned the top seed in the West and advanced to the regional championship game. Collings was named the 2010 GNAC Co-Coach of the Year after leading SPU to a 10-6-2 overall record and a second-place league mark of 7-2-1. The Falcons were 11-5-3 in 2009, finishing third with a 4-3-1 league ledger. In his first season, SPU was 6-10-3 with a second-place GNAC finish (4-4) in 2008. Collings replaced Cliff McCrath, who compiled a 512-190-87 mark in 38 seasons (1970-2007). Arnie Aizstrauts was 1-14-1 from 1968-69. The co-captain of SPU's 1998 Final Four team, Collings was a five-year assistant coach. He avoided a first-year Falcon curse as his predecessors were winless in their inaugural seasons.
 
GNAC Poll
Coming off their first NCAA men's soccer tournament appearance in five years, Seattle Pacific was the No. 2 pick for the Great Northwest Athletic Conference title in the preseason coaches poll. The Falcons received one first-place vote. Simon Fraser, which has won both league crowns since joining the GNAC two years ago as the first Canadian member of the NCAA, is the favorite to make it three straight. The Clan collected the other seven first-place votes.
 
Next Week
The Falcons return home for the first time in nearly a month when they entertain Montana State Billings on Oct. 11 at 4:30 p.m. and Northwest Nazarene on Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. Both games will be played at Interbay Stadium.