• Complete Release (pdf)     |     • VIDEO: Bryson Pavel

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3 –
California Baptist at (#8) Seattle Pacific
7:00 p.m. PDT, Interbay Stadium, Seattle, Wash.
 
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 –
Chico State at (#8) Seattle Pacific
7:00 p.m. PDT, Interbay Stadium, Seattle, Wash.
 
• LiveStats for both games:  http://www.sidearmstats.com/spu/msoc/
 
In pursuit of their fifth straight postseason berth, the eighth-ranked Seattle Pacific men (0-0) begin the 2015 soccer season with a pair of home games. They open with California Baptist (0-0) on Thursday, Sept. 3 for a 7 p.m. game at Interbay Stadium. The Lancers won the only previous meeting, a 1-0 decision in 2011.  On Saturday, Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. SPU entertains perennial playoff contender Chico State (0-0). The Falcons have won 19 of the 40 all-time meetings and last year's 1-1 result on Sept. 6 at Chico was the third tie in the series. Next week, SPU embarks on its first road trip of the season, visiting the Bay Area to play Notre Dame de Namur (Sept. 10) and Cal State East Bay (Sept. 12). The Falcons are vying for their 35th NCAA Division II Tournament berth.
 
Ticket Talk
Season tickets are available now to secure seats for all the SPU soccer action. To reserve your season tickets now, click on THIS LINK or for a brochure CLICK HERE.. Individual game tickets for SPU soccer games can be purchased at Interbay Stadium (3027 17th Ave. W., Seattle 98119) on game day. Ticket windows open one hour prior to kickoff. All seats are general admission, priced at $6 for adults and $3 for students and senior citizens. SPU students and staff are admitted free with i.d. Discounted group rates can be arranged by contacting the SPU Athletics Ticket Office in advance at:  206-281-2085.
 
Opening Act
Seattle Pacific begins its 48th year of men's soccer competition. The Falcons defeated Humboldt State 1-0 in 2014 for their ninth win in the last 10 season openers. SPU has a 32-8-7 record in all-time season-opening contests.
 


2015 Preview
Nine starters return for SPU, featuring first-team All-GNAC goalkeeper Cody Lang. The junior shot-stopper registered 10 shutouts and an impressive 0.47 goals against average in 2014. Returning players accounted for 27 of the team's 37 goals last season, including nine from Stephen MacDonald and three apiece from Danny Olivas and Jordan Kollars. The dynamic defense boasts a pair of All-Americans in junior Davis Karaica (2nd team) and senior Bryson Pavel (3rd). The impressive list of returning regulars is bolstered by five players that started at least once in 2014 and five fine freshmen.

 

2014 Review
The SPU men registered a 16-2-2 overall record in 2014, won the GNAC championship with a 12-1-1 mark and participated in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive season. They defeated Northwest Nazarene 2-1 in the playoffs before falling 1-0 in overtime against Cal State L.A. in the West Regional final. The Falcons forged a 13-game winning streak and 15-game unbeaten streak, both school records. Two seniors departed, both of them starters: defender Evan Robicheau and forward Sean Russell. SPU outscored foes 37-10 led by Stephen MacDonald's 9-goal, 8-assist performance.
 
Ranking Report
SPU starts the season exactly where it ended 2014, ranked No. 8 in the national coaches poll. The Falcons climbed to as high as No. 2 last year. The last time they were ranked No. 1 nationally was Sept. 20, 1994.
 
Defending Champs
Last season, the SPU men captured their first outright men's soccer conference crown since the GNAC was formed in 2001. They shared the 2006 league championship with Seattle University.
 
Record Runs
The Falcons established two new, school-record stretches last season with a 13-game winning streak (previous record 10) and a 15-game unbeaten streak (13) in 2014.
 
This Week's Opponents
California Baptist (8-9-1, 7-5-0 PacWest in 2014) -- Hailing from Riverside, Calif., the Lancers make their first visit to Seattle. They posted an 8-9-1 record last year with five of the losses coming by one-goal margins. The potent CBU offense tallied 34 goals (1.89 per game) led by the seven scores of returning forward Aidan Apodaca. Goalkeeper Noah Oyler is back after compiling one shutout and a 2.00 goals against average. The Lancers are coached for the third season by Gregg Schroeder. Cal Baptist won the only previous meeting with SPU, a 1-0 neutral-site decision in Phoenix, Ariz. on Oct. 6, 2011.
 
Chico State (8-6-3, 3-6-2 CCAA in 2014) -- A youth movement with five freshmen starters led to an 8-6-3 overall record and rare lower-division league finish (8th place) for the Wildcats. This year's more experienced unit features the return of senior forward Matt Hurlow, whose team-leading six goals included three game-winners. The stingy defense surrendered just 14 goals (0.74 GAA) in 2014. Felipe Restrepo is in his eighth season as head coach, having directed the Wildcats to five NCAA Division II Tournament berths. The Falcons own a slim 19-18-3 series edge and drew a 1-1 tied at Chico in the last meeting on Sept. 6, 2014. The Wildcats eliminated SPU from the 2013 playoffs with a 1-0 decision on Nov. 14 in San Diego, Calif.

 

Coach Collings
Eighth-year coach Mark Collings is the third head coach in the 47-year history of Seattle Pacific men's soccer. He has an 80-34-20 record with the Falcons, including school-record streaks of 13 consecutive victories and 15 games unbeaten established in 2014. Collings collected his second GNAC Co-Coach of the Year award (also 2010) after directing SPU to a 16-2-2 record in 2014 and the team's fourth straight NCAA Division II playoff berth. They won the GNAC championship with a 12-1-1 record and advanced to the West Region championship game. The Falcons were 12-4-3 in 2013 with a second-place league mark of 10-1-3. In 2012, Collings coached 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. He led SPU to a 10-6-2 mark in 2010 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.
 
SPU Visits Spain
The Seattle Pacific men had the unique opportunity to travel to Spain from August 6-16 and stay in Madrid where they visited the Real Madrid training complex and Bernabéu Stadium. The Falcons played four games, winning two of them. Ian Adams compiled three goals and an assist during the trip, Stephen MacDonald tallied two goals and an assist and Keenan dePinna scored twice. They also visited museums and toured the historic Spanish cities of Segovia and Toledo.

Senior goalkeeper Shamele Battan wrote a travel diary during the Falcons trip to Spain. Click here to view his blog.