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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 --
(#3) Seattle Pacific at Simon Fraser
7:30 p.m. PDT, Terry Fox Field, Burnaby, B.C.
Webcast:  www.educationcdn.com/schools/clan/
LiveStats:  http://cgi.sfu.ca/~athlwww/livestats/msoccer/xlive.htm
 
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 --
(#3) Seattle Pacific at Western Washington
7:00 p.m. PDT, Orca Field, Bellingham, Wash.
•LiveStats:  http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/spu.portal# 
 
One of only 14 remaining undefeated NCAA Division II men's soccer teams, third-ranked Seattle Pacific (6-0-2, 2-0-2 GNAC) plays two road games this week that have significant implications in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings. The second-place Falcons visit Burnaby, B.C. to meet first-place Simon Fraser (7-1-0, 3-1-0) on Thursday, Sept. 27 at 7:30 p.m. The two-time defending champion Clan won a pair of one-goal games against SPU in 2011. The Falcons travel to Bellingham to clash with Western Washington (3-4-1, 1-2-1) on Saturday, Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. SPU swept the season series last year with a pair of one-goal victories. The Falcons are vying for their 32nd NCAA Division II Tournament berth. They advanced to the West Regional championship game last fall.
 
Stellar Start
With a 6-0-1 record, the current team is deeper into the season without a loss than any previous SPU squad except one. The 1987 unit went 8-0-1 before losing its 10th game. This year's Falcons previously 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 national titles.
 


Ranking Report
Seattle Pacific dropped one spot, to No. 3, 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.
 
Throw-Ins
The SPU men are outscoring opponents 16-6 with a balanced attack that features 10 players who scored at least one goal. The Falcons outshot foes 129-76, including a 56-21 advantage in shots directly on goal ... Senior goalkeeper Zach Johnson compiled a 0.71 goals against average and blanked three opponents, upping his career total to 18 shutouts.
 
Recent Recap
The Falcons drew two ties to start a five-game road trip. They played to a scoreless draw at Northwest Nazarene (Sept. 20). Kyle Peterman's 83rd-minute equalizer forged a 1-1 tie at MSU Billings (Sept. 22) in a game SPU had a 24-7 shot advantage.
 
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.
 
Next Week
The Falcons conclude their current five-game road trip with a single game next week. They visit Saint Martin's in Lacey, Wash. on Saturday, Oct. 6 at 3 p.m.
 
This Week's Opponents
Simon Fraser (7-1-0, 3-1-0 GNAC)
The Clan are in their third year as an NCAA Division II competitor and GNAC member. This is their first year of postseason eligibility. First-place SFU suffered a 2-1 loss to Northwest Nazarene on Sept. 15 in its last home game, the lone blemish on its record. The Clan won their last two games and are outscoring opponents 29-8 led by the nine goals of Carlo Basso. Goalkeepers JD Blakely and Hide Ozawa combined for three shutouts and a 0.99 goals against average. SFU swept the 2011 season series, beating the Falcons 4-3 in Burnaby and 2-1 in in Seattle. On Nov. 4, 2010, SPU visited an undefeated Clan squad and left Canada with a 4-0 victory. The teams did not play from 2007-09 after meeting at least once in each of the previous 32 years dating to 1975. The Falcons own a 20-19-6 edge in the all-time series.
 
Western Washington (3-4-1, 1-2-1 GNAC)
The Vikings are coached for the 14th season by Travis Connell, a four-year SPU soccer letterman from 1991-95. WWU lost its last two games immediately following a four-game unbeaten streak. Sujinda Dangvan and Justin Moore each have three goals, accounting for six of the Vikings seven scores. Goalkeeper Keegan Rogers registered three shutouts and a 1.22 goals against average. SPU swept the season series last year for the first time since 2006, winning 1-0 in Bellingham and 2-1 in Seattle. The Falcons boast a 41-13-6 lead in the all-time series against Western.
 
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 47-25-12 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.