SEATTLE – A lengthy home stand continues this week as the Seattle Pacific University men's soccer team hosts Saint Martin's on Thursday and Simon Fraser on Saturday, with both matches starting at 7 p.m. 
  
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"It's a big week for us with two important games at home," head coach Kevin Sakuda said. "The guys were great against MSUB and we want to continue to build off of that. It's about sticking to our way of playing, being aggressive defensively, and like last game, being clinical in the final third."  
 
BALLARD FOOD BANK NIGHT
The Falcons are hosting Ballard Food Bank Night this Saturday. Fans are encouraged to bring food items for donation as the price of admission. Five items cover entry to the match between the Falcons and Red Leafs.  
  
WHAT'S THE STORY THIS WEEK
The final three weeks of the regular season are here for the Falcons, and the Great Northwest Athletic Conference champion is far from being decided. 
 
The Falcons find themselves tied for third place with Saturday's opponent, Simon Fraser. Both the Falcons and Red Leafs own 12 points, trailing leader Northwest Nazarene (16) and Western Washington (15). SFU, WWU, and NNU make up three of the final four matches for the Falcons this season. 
 
The Falcons are coming off a 3-0 victory against MSU Billings last Saturday. Poor air quality sent the match to Lacey, as the Falcons were able to adapt well. Cameron Yriondo, Connor Tollan, and Ed Weise all scored for SPU.
 
The Falcons will lean on their offensive versatility in the closing weeks of the season. They've proven the ability to score at any time or off a set piece as they lead the conference in corner kicks. SPU ranks third in the conference in goals per game with 1.36. 
 
The intensity is sure to pick up in this dash to the finish of the regular season. It starts this Thursday against Saint Martin's at 7 p.m.  
  
SCOUTING THE SAINT MARTIN'S SAINTS (2-9-2, 2-4-1 GNAC)
The Saints sit in fifth place in the GNAC standings with a 2-4-1 conference record and seven points. The Falcons are in fourth with 12 points. Thursday's match is crucial, as it's the final head-to-head meeting between SPU and SMU in the regular season. 
 
The Falcons and Saints battled to a 0-0 draw on Oct. 6. SPU owned the match, outshooting SMU 18-7, with six shots coming on target. Alden Massey led the team with four shots, while Evan Aune, Aidan Chaparro, and Tollan ripped two shots each. 
 
The Saints have struggled defensively this season, allowing 2.77 goals per game to their opponents. Offensively, they've scored 1.08 goals per game. Ethan Judd is having an excellent year for the Saints, leading the group with six goals and an assist. Diego Andrade can also find the back of the net, with four goals on the year. 
  
SCOUTING THE SIMON FRASER RED LEAFS (7-4-0, 4-2-0 GNAC)
The Falcons and Red Leafs have played once already this season. The match happened in Burnaby, B.C. on Sept. 29. It was a physical contest that saw key performances from Alden Massey and Lars Helleren. In the 46th minute, Massey left two defenders in his wake as he scored a game-winning goal from a tough angle. Helleren stood tall, making six saves in the shutout performance. 
 
The Red Leafs are strong defensively, allowing less than a goal per game. Justyn Sandhu has faced 143 shots this season, making 46 saves and allowing 10 goals in 11 matches. Devin O'Hea has been the team's offensive force, scoring five goals.