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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9 –
Montana State Billings at (#6) Seattle Pacific
4:30 p.m. PDT, Interbay Stadium, Seattle, Wash.
 • LiveStats:  www.sidearmstats.com/spu/msoc
 
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11 –
 (#22) Northwest Nazarene at (#6) Seattle Pacific
7:00 p.m. PDT, Interbay Stadium, Seattle, Wash.
 • LiveStats:  www.sidearmstats.com/spu/msoc
 
Two top-of-the-table clashes are on deck this week for the undefeated and sixth-ranked Seattle Pacific men's soccer team. The first-place Falcons (8-0-1, 5-0-0 GNAC) entertain third-place Montana State Billings (3-3-3, 3-1-1) on Thursday, Oct. 9. Kick-off is 4:30 p.m. at Interbay Stadium as the opener of a soccer doubleheader with the SPU women, who play at 7 p.m. SPU is unbeaten in its last nine matchups with the Yellowjackets, including two ties. On Saturday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m., a first-place Great Northwest Athletic Conference encounter will ensue when No. 22 Northwest Nazarene (8-1-0, 5-0-0) invades Interbay Stadium. The Crusaders and SPU battled to draws in each of the last four meetings, including a 1-1 tie last season in Seattle and 2-2 in the Nampa, Idaho rematch. SPU's last GNAC men's soccer title came in 2006. The Falcons are vying for their 34th NCAA Division II Tournament berth. They participated in the playoffs in each of the last three seasons.
 
Spectacular Start
Seattle Pacific is one of only nine undefeated teams remaining among NCAA Division II men's soccer programs and has equaled the best start in school history. The 1987 team also opened the season 8-0-1 before losing its 10th game. The longest unbeaten streak to start a season was turned in by the 1975 Falcons, who reached game No. 10 without a loss (6-0-4 record) before falling in their 11th outing.


 
Ticket Talk
Tickets for SPU soccer games can be purchased on game day at Interbay Stadium (3027 17th Ave. W., Seattle 98119). Ticket windows open one hour prior to kickoff. All seats are general admission and priced at $6 for adults and $3 for students and senior citizens. SPU students and staff are admitted free. Groups or teams of 10 or more may qualify for reduced ticket rates by calling (206) 281-2085 in advance.
 
Dynamic Defense
SPU has allowed just four goals in nine games this season, and never more than one in any outing.  Sophomore goalkeeper Cody Lang has played all 849 minutes between the posts this season, compiling 19 saves, five shutouts and a 0.42 goals against average that leads the GNAC and ranks No. 4 nationally. The Falcons defense limited their nine opponents to 89 shots and just 24 attempts directly on goal.

 

Player of the Week
SPU's Bryson Pavel, who scored a spectacular goal in one game and distributed an assist in another, received the GNAC Offensive Player of the Week award on Monday. The junior defender capped Thursday's 3-1 win over Western Washington with a magnificent 25-yard strike. On Saturday, he set up Danny Olivas for a goal that started SPU on its way to a 3-1 triumph over Simon Fraser. In addition to his offensive contributions, Pavel helped limit WWU to just two shots on goal and SFU to only three.
 
2014 Preview
Eight starters are back for SPU, including first-team All-GNAC goalkeeper Cody Lang. The sophomore shot-stopper registered eight shutouts and an impressive 0.76 goals against average in 2013. Returning players accounted for 22 of the team's 29 goals last season, including four apiece from the trio of Stephen MacDonald, Bryson Pavel and Sean Russell. Sophomore Jordan Kollars was SPU's best playmaker with five assists while junior Danny Olivas was tops in total points with 10 on three goals and four assists. Pavel was a first-team All-GNAC defender as was sophomore Davis Karaica. Russell and Olivas were honorable mention all-league selections. The impressive list of returning starters is bolstered by six standout freshmen, sophomore midfielder Keenan dePinna who transferred from Oregon State, and red-shirt freshman Gabe Kellum from France.
 
Scouting the Opponents
Montana State Billings (3-3-3, 3-1-1 GNAC) -- The third-place Yellowjackets won their last three games. After opening the season with an 0-2-2 mark, they have not lost in their last four outings, starting with a 3-3 tie at Simon Fraser. Jess Thorge leads the Billings attack with four goals and two assists. Goalkeeper Tom Lohmann has two shutouts and a 1.20 goals against average. SPU swept the season series in 2013, posting  a 3-2 win in Seattle and a 2-0 decision in Billings. That increased the Falcons series advantage to 12-3-4.
 
Northwest Nazarene (8-1-0, 5-0-0 GNAC) -- The 22nd-ranked Crusaders are tied with SPU for first place in the GNAC and bring a seven-game winning streak into this week's action. In five league victories they outscored opponents by a combined 14-3 margin. Erik Anderson leads MSUB with eight goals and four assists while 2013 GNAC Newcomer of the Year Fredy Razo has five goals and four assists. Goalkeeper Alfredo Ontiveros compiled four shutouts and a 0.80 goals against average.  SPU won the first 11 meetings in the series before the teams drew in each of the last four encounters. They tied 1-1 last year in Seattle and 2-2 in Nampa, Idaho.

 

Coach Collings
Seventh-year coach Mark Collings is the third head coach in the 47-year history of Seattle Pacific men's soccer. He has a 72-32-19 record with the Falcons. Collings led SPU to a 12-4-3 record in 2013 and the team's third straight playoff berth. The Falcons put together a 14-game unbeaten streak, the longest such single-season stretch in school history. A 10-1-3 GNAC record put SPU in second place. They lost 1-0 to Chico State in the first round of the playoffs. In 2012, Collings directed SPU to a 11-3-5 record and in 2011 a 14-4-2 record was capped by the first playoff appearance in five years. Collings was named the 2010 GNAC Co-Coach of the Year after leading SPU to a 10-6-2 record following records of 11-5-3 in 2009 and 6-10-3 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.
 
2013 Review
The SPU men registered a 12-4-3 overall record in 2013, placed second in the GNAC standings with a 10-1-3 mark and participated in the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season. They lost 1-0 against Chico State in the opening round of the playoffs in La Jolla, Calif. The Falcons forged a 14-game unbeaten streak, the longest in school history during a single season. Highlighting the season was a 2-1 upset of top-ranked Simon Fraser on Oct 3 in Seattle. Danny Olivas netted a 79th-minute free kick to secure the victory. Three seniors departed, all of them starters: defender Kodiac Gamble, midfielder Anthony Mohammed and forward Blaine Carver. SPU outscored foes 29-15 led by a trio of four-goal scorers in Stephen MacDonald, Sean Russell and Bryson Pavel. First-team All-GNAC goalkeeper Cody Lang played every minute, posting eight shutouts and a 0.76 goals against average.