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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6 –
Western Washington at Seattle Pacific
7:00 p.m. PDT, Interbay Stadium, Seattle, Wash.
 
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8 –
Concordia (Ore.) at Seattle Pacific
7:00 p.m. PDT, Interbay Stadium, Seattle, Wash.
 
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13 –
Saint Martin's at Seattle Pacific
7:00 p.m. PDT, Interbay Stadium, Seattle, Wash.
 
• LiveStats for all three games:  http://www.sidearmstats.com/spu/msoc/
 
Three consecutive games at Interbay Stadium complete the current five-game homestand for the Seattle Pacific men's soccer team. The Falcons (2-3-4, 0-1-3 GNAC) seek to snap a string of three straight ties when they host Western Washington (4-2-2, 1-1-1) on Thursday, Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. The two Great Northwest Athletic Conference rivals played to a 3-3 draw on Sept 24 in Bellingham and both teams finished the game with nine players because four red cards were issued. That started SPU's three-game draw streak and ended a five-game winning streak versus the Vikings. On Saturday, Oct. 8, Concordia (Ore.) visits for a 7 p.m. clash. The Cavaliers (3-3-2, 0-2-1) and Falcons played to a pair of draws last season, their first ever meetings. The homestand ends Thursday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. against Saint Martin's. The Saints (2-6-1, 1-2-1) are tied for third in the standings, one point up on SPU.
 
Get Your Tickets
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
Jeffrey Collings, who played all 220 minutes in two double-overtime ties and cleared a potential golden-goal off the line to preserve Saturday's scoreless draw, was named the GNAC Defender of the Week on Monday.  The senior defender missed the previous five games due to injury and returned Thursday to play a pivotal role in a 1-1 deadlock against Montana State Billings, helping the Falcons surrender just one goal against a 26-shot barrage. In the opening minute of Saturday's final overtime session versus Northwest Nazarene, the SPU goalkeeper was off his line and Collings raced to the left post to block a hard shot directed toward the open goal that would have ended the contest. He pushed forward on Falcons set pieces and attempted two shots, including a 108th-minute header that required saving by the NNU goalkeeper. Usually positioned at right back, Collings played central defender in both games last week as injuries and card suspensions decimated the regular SPU back line. Jeffrey is the son of head coach Mark Collings.
 
Cody's Clean Sheets
Cody Lang posted his first shutout of the season on Saturday, increasing his career total to 28. The senior goalkeeper became the GNAC's all-time leader in career shutouts (28) tied the record for career shutouts in conference matches (19). Lang ranks fourth among SPU career leaders, needing four more shutouts to tie for the No. 3 spot with Jeff Storrs (32 from 1985-88). 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.
 
Throw-Ins
SPU has amassed 18 goals, a rate of 2.00 goals per game that is the program's highest since the 2011 squad averaged 2.05 ... At 2-3-4, the Falcons have already lost two more games than last year when they had a program-best one-loss season (14-1-4) ... SPU, which led the nation with a 0.45 goals against average in 2015 while allowing only nine goals, has surrendered 15 scores this season (1.82 GAA).
 
2016 Preview
Six starters return from the SPU team that lost only one game (14-1-4), won its second straight GNAC championship and earned the No. 2 seed in the West Region. Four of SPU's returning starters received all-conference acclaim last year, including All-Americans Cody Lang and Davis Karaica. The 2015 GNAC Defensive Player of the Year, Lang posted nine shutouts last year. The senior netminder is fronted by a defensive unit led by Karaica as a central defender and senior holding midfielder Jordan Kollars, an honorable mention All-GNAC pick. SPU was the nation's stingiest defense last season, surrendering an average of only 0.45 goals per game. Junior forwards Gabe Kellum and Mori Tsuchiya are the top returning scorers with four goals apiece in 2015. Falcons senior forward Stephen MacDonald returns after an injury-plagued season limited him to two goals and just eight games. He paced SPU with nine goals and eight assists in 2014. The impressive list of returning regulars is bolstered by six players that started at least twice in 2015 and six incoming freshmen who will challenge for playing time.
 
Playoff Pursuit
The SPU men are vying for their 36th NCAA Division II Tournament berth. They participated in the playoffs in each of the last five years, the longest streak since 2000. The Falcons won five national championships, in 1978, 1983, 1985, 1986 and 1993.
 
This Week's Opponents
Western Washington (4-2-2, 1-1-1 GNAC) -- The Vikings are coached for the fourth season by Greg Brisbon, a 12-year assistant with the program. WWU junior midfielder Luke Olney, who has two goals, is the son of former SPU standout Reece Olney (1986-90). Anthony Dean owns team-high honors with four goals. Goalkeeper Tyler Visten has three of WWU's four shutouts and a 0.95 goals against average. The Falcons boast a 47-14-8 lead in the all-time series against Western, including five straight wins prior to a 3-3 tie in the last meeting, on Sept. 24 in Bellingham. SPU's Ryan Higgins tied it in the 84th minute. Both teams finished that game with nine players due to four red cards.
 
Concordia (3-3-2, 0-2-1 GNAC) -- The Cavaliers, from Portland, Oregon, are second-year members of the GNAC and NCAA. They are winless in their last four outings, with three losses and a tie. Matt Paine ranks third among GNAC players with six goals. Goalkeeper Grant Alcorn has one shutout and a 1.94 goals against average. The only two previous meeting did not produce a winner as the Cavaliers and SPU tied 1-1 on Oct. 26 in Seattle and 0-0 on Oct. 22 in Portland.
 
Saint Martin's (2-6-1, 1-2-1 GNAC) -- The Saints stand one point ahead of SPU in the standings despite going winless in their last three outings. Kyle Witzel and Will Eldred each scored four times, accounting for eight of SMU's 13 goals. Goalkeeper Griffin Small compiled a 2.52 goals against average while averaging 5.0 saves per game. SPU swept last season's two meetings by a combined 4-0 tally to improve their all-time series lead to 14-3-1. The Falcons were 1-0 victors on Sept. 19 in Lacey and won 3-0 at home on Nov. 7.
 
Coach Collings
Ninth-year coach Mark Collings is the third head coach in the 49-year history of Seattle Pacific men's soccer. He has a 96-38-28 record with the Falcons, including school-record streaks of 13 consecutive victories and 15 games unbeaten established in 2014. Collings collected his third GNAC Coach of the Year award (also 2010 & 2014) after directing SPU to a 14-1-4 record in 2015 and the team's fifth straight NCAA Division II playoff berth. They won the GNAC championship with a 10-1-3 record and participated in the West Regional semifinal. SPU's lone setback marked the fewest losses in school history. Collings led the Falcons to a 16-2-2 record in 2014. They compiled a first-place record of 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.
 
2015 Review
Last year, the SPU men compiled a 14-1-4 record and competed in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight season. They sustained the fewest losses ever for a program that has produced five national championships, falling only once with a 1-0 setback at Simon Fraser. All-Americans Cody Lang (GK), the 2015 GNAC Defensive Player of the Year, and Davis Karaica (D) helped lead the nation's best defense that yielded just 0.45 goals per game. The season ended in the second round of the 2015 playoffs with a 1-1 draw against Cal State Dominguez Hills, which advanced by virtue of a 3-2 decision in the penalty kick tiebreaker.