SATURDAY, APRIL 10
Puget Sound at Seattle Pacific
4:00 p.m. PDT, Interbay Stadium, Seattle, Wash. (spectators not allowed)
 
• Webcast:  https://www.youtube.com/user/SPUsports
• LiveStats:  http://www.sidearmstats.com/spu/msoc/
 
After taking a week off from competition, the Seattle Pacific men's soccer team is back in action this weekend to compete a season-opening, three-game homestand. The Falcons (1-1-0) host Puget Sound (4-6-2) on Saturday, April 10 for a 4:00 p.m. contest at Interbay Stadium. Spectators aren't permitted at Falcons home games. This is the 53rd season of men's soccer for SPU, which began playing in 1968. From that inaugural season until 1987 the Falcons and UPS were members of the same league, the Western Washington Soccer Conference from 1968 to 1971 and then the Northwest Collegiate Soccer Conference. 
 
Falcons Fodder
SPU implemented an entirely different starting 11 in each of its two games. In fact, with 22 players participating to date, every Falcon that has played drew one starting assignment. Ten players made their SPU starting debut on March 27 with Titus Grant being the only veteran in that lineup. Grant produced the game-winning goal in that contest on a 54th-minute penalty kick. The season-opener was highlighted by a fabulous 16th-minute free kick from senior Sam Malloch. He spotted the ball 26 yards from the goal and sent a low strike inside the left post, out of reach from the diving goalkeeper.

SAM MALLOCH FREE KICK GOAL

Player of the Week
 

Tyler Speer, who netted a goal in each half on March 27 to lead SPU to a 3-1 home victory over Pacific Lutheran, received the GNAC men's soccer Offensive Player of the Week award on Mar. 29. Those were the first two goals of Speer's collegiate career and they came in his inaugural starting assignment for the Falcons. Speer scored on his only two shots of the game. The sophomore midfielder opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, flicking a first-timer with his left foot from the top of the 6-yard box into the right side of the PLU goal. Titus Grant was credited with an assist on the play. Speer completed the scoring in the 55th minute, racing to reach Owen Gortner's pass from the left flank and placing a quick, five-yard shot inside the left post to secure the Falcons first win of the season.
 
Abbreviated Schedule
The Great Northwest Athletic Conference announced Jan. 8 that there would not be a league season so the Falcons fended for themselves in finding opponents. SPU will likely play fewer games than in any of its previous 52 seasons, with the least being eight games in both 1968 and 1969. There are currently seven counting games scheduled, four of them at home and three on the road, along with a May 1 home exhibition versus the Tacoma Defiance of the USL. There may be additional games added with a possibility of games being postponed or cancelled if COVID issues arise.
 
2020-21 Season Preview
Nine starters return from last season's team that won its final four games, including five of the top-six point producers. Headlining the list of returnees is first-team All-GNAC forward Titus Grant. The senior forward led the squad with nine goals in 2019 and also topped the team with seven assists for a 25-point total. Also back is senior Alex Mejia, who netted four goals last season, senior Sam Malloch (2 goals/6 assists), junior Alden Massey (2/4) and junior Ed Weise (2/1). A trio of starters return on the backline in honorable mention All-GNAC selections Nik Reierson and Travis Swallow along with Weise. The pool of returning talent is bolstered by nine newcomers. Seven incoming freshmen are joined by transfers Owen Gortner (Loyola Marymount) and Cade Cooke (Everett CC). Junior Lars Helleren is back with 26 goalkeeper starts to his credit.
 
This Week's Opponents
Puget Sound (4-6-2) -- The Loggers conclude their abbreviated season Saturday at SPU. They were victorious in the last two games, including a 1-0 win at Western Washington on March 27. Cale Spence tops the team with five goals while Marko Babiak netted four. Saturday marks the first counting game between SPU and Puget Sound since Sept. 24, 1997 when the teams played to a 0-0 draw in Seattle. The Falcons own a 24-2-4 lead in the all-time series and are unbeaten in the last 25 meetings, going 22-0-3 during that span. The last Loggers win in the series was a 1-0 decision on Nov. 21, 1970 in Seattle when both members of the Western Washington Soccer Conference.
 
Coach Collings
Mark Collings enters his 13th season as head coach at his alma mater. He has directed Seattle Pacific to a 127-67-31 record, two GNAC championships and a stretch of five consecutive NCAA Division II Tournament berths from 2011-15. His coaching highlights include school-record streaks of 13 consecutive victories and 15 games unbeaten established in 2014 along with absorbing the fewest losses in a campaign with just one in 2015 (14-1-4). Collings registered his 100th coaching victory with the Falcons on Oct. 28, 2016. He is the third head coach in the 53-year history of SPU men's soccer. Collings collected his third GNAC Coach of the Year award in 2015 (also 2010 & 2014). He 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 as a defender on SPU's 1998 Final Four team, Collings was a five-year assistant coach for the Falcons.
 
Shot Stoppers
 

SPU had two different goalkeepers with a double-digit save game during the same season (2019) for the first time since 1972 when Rex Yoder (14) and Dave Landry (12) accomplished the feat. Lars Helleren stopped 10 Sonoma State shots on Sept. 5 and Jordan Marwood compiled 12 saves at West Texas A&M on Sept. 16. The school record of 14 saves was established by Yoder, who did it twice in 1972. Helleren returns for his junior year after leading SPU with 47 saves and a 1.47 goals against average.
 
2019 Season Review
The Falcons won their final four games to vault into third place in the final GNAC standings with a 6-6-0 record. They compiled a 7-9-1 overall mark against a schedule ranked among the nation's most difficult. Four losses came against teams ranked in the final poll and two others were ranked when they met. SPU featured first-team All-GNAC forward Titus Grant, who ranked second among GNAC players in goals (9) and points (25) and was third in assists (7). Four Falcons were honorable mention All-GNAC picks: Sam Malloch, Nik Reierson, Eduardo Calvo-Salinas and Travis Swallow.
 
Next Week
The SPU men hit the road for the first time, playing two games next week. They visit Lacey, Wash. for a 3 p.m. rematch with Saint Martin's on April 21. The Saint won this season's first meet, 2-1, on March 24 in Seattle. On April 24, the Falcons are in Kirkland, Wash. to play at Northwest University. Game time has not yet been determined.