• Complete Release (pdf)     |     • VIDEO: Cody  Lang

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 –
(#22) Northwest Nazarene at (#3) Seattle Pacific
7:30 p.m. PDT, Interbay Stadium, Seattle, Wash.
 
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 –
Concordia at (#3) Seattle Pacific
7:00 p.m. PDT, Interbay Stadium, Seattle, Wash.
 
• LiveStats for both games:  http://www.sidearmstats.com/spu/msoc/
 
A huge early-season matchup highlights the men's soccer slate this week for third-ranked Seattle Pacific (5-0-0, 1-0-0 GNAC), which hosts two home games. Northwest Nazarene (5-1-0, 1-0-0) is ranked 22nd and invades Interbay Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. clash on Thursday, Sept. 24 that is a rematch of last year's NCAA Division II West Regional semifinal, won 2-1 by the Falcons. The Crusaders dealt defending Great Northwest Athletic Conference champion SPU its lone league loss in 2014 en route to a runner-up result. On Saturday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. the Falcons entertain the newest member of the conference, Concordia from Portland, Ore. The Cavaliers (2-2-0, 0-1-0) are first-year NCAA Division II members.
 
Fast Start
The Falcons were victorious in their opening five games of the season and are one win from matching the best start in school history. The 1985 and 1991 squads started 6-0 before losing. SPU won six straight to start the 2012 season before tying its next two.

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.

Player of the Week
SPU junior goalkeeper Cody Lang, who has not surrendered a score this season, was named the GNAC Defensive Player of the Week on Monday. Lang stretched his season scoreless streak to 453 minutes with Saturday's 1-0 blanking of Saint Martin's in the Falcons league opener. He registered a season-high five saves at SMU, nearly as many as the six total saves he had in the season's first four games combined. In the 51st minute, Lang dove to his right to deflect a header by the Saints' Kyle Witzel for what SPU coach Mark Collings called "one of the best saves I've ever seen live."
 
Cody's Clean Sheets
Cody Lang blanked all five opponents in 453 minutes this year, increasing his career total to 22 shutouts. That figure ties him for fifth among SPU career leaders with Kellen Rosten (2004-07). He needs one more shutout to tie for the No. 4 spot with Zach Johnson (2009-12). The school record is a lofty total of 46 compiled by former Premier League keeper Marcus Hahnemann, who minded the Falcons nets from 1990-93.


 
Shutout Streak
The Falcons have not surrendered a goal this year. Their fifth clean sheet, on Saturday at Saint Martin's, surpassed the school record for shutouts to start a season previously held by the 1993 squad. The current five-game streak is the program's longest overall scoreless stretch since the 2011 squad reeled off six straight shutouts.
 
Ranking Report
SPU climbed one spot, to No. 3, is this week's national coaches rankings. The Falcons were listed No. 8 in the preseason poll and No. 4 last week. The SPU men rose as high as No. 2 in 2014. Their last No. 1 national ranking came on Sept. 20, 1994.
 
Playoff Pursuit
The SPU men are vying for their 35th NCAA Division II Tournament berth. They participated in the playoffs in each of the last four years, the longest streak since 2000. The Falcons won five national championships, in 1978, 1983, 1985, 1986 and 1993.
 
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.
 
Scouting Northwest Nazarene (5-1-0, 1-0-0 GNAC):
The 22nd-ranked Crusaders were GNAC runners-up and made their NCAA playoff debut in 2014 after recording a school-record 14 wins. Their lone loss in six outings this season was a 1-0 home setback versus Cal State Dominguez Hills on Sept. 12. NNU has outscored foes 10-3 led by four goals from Abraham Placito and five assists from Julia Castillo. Goalkeeper Ryan Foo has three shutouts and a 0.49 goals against average. The Crusaders dealt Seattle Pacific its lone 2014 league loss, a 1-0 decision on Oct. 30 in Nampa. The Falcons won last season's first meeting 1-0 in Seattle. SPU won the NCAA West Region semifinal matchup 2-1 on goals by Jordan Kollars and Danny Olivas. The Falcons lead the series 13-1-4.
 
Scouting Concordia (2-2-0, 0-1-0 GNAC)
The Cavaliers, from Portland, Oregon, are first-year members of the GNAC. They lost their inaugural league game 3-0 at Northwest Nazarene on Sept. 19. Concordia's six goals came from different players, including Matt Paine, whose two assists top the team. Saturday marks the first meeting between SPU and the Cavaliers.
 
Coach Collings
Eighth-year coach Mark Collings is the third head coach in the 48-year history of Seattle Pacific men's soccer. He has an 85-34-20 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 after 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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
Next Week
Seattle Pacific starts a four-game road trip at Western Washington on Oct. 1.