SEATTLE – It'll be a short trip down I-5 this week for the Seattle Pacific University men's soccer team, with one match slated for the week against the reigning Conference Team of the Week in Saint Martin's on Thursday at 3 p.m.
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"We know it's going to be a difficult game on Thursday in a tough venue," head coach Kevin Sakuda said. "Saint Martin's has been playing well the last few games and has seemed to have found their rhythm. We have one game this week and our entire focus is being at our best on Thursday and putting in a good performance against a tough Saint Martin's team."
WHAT'S THE STORY THIS WEEK
The Falcons are nearing the midway point of their conference schedule. After this Thursday's match against Saint Martin's and next Thursday's contest against Northwest Nazarene, GNAC rematches fill the rest of the regular season. So, what do we know about the team?
They've worked their way to second in the GNAC standings. A 2-1-1 conference record has given them seven points this season. They trail Western Washington's nine points but are ahead of Northwest Nazarene, Simon Fraser, and Saint Martin's which are tied with six points.
They score. The Falcons established themselves as one of the best offenses in the GANC. They rank second in points per game (4), goals (16), and rank third in assists (12). It isn't just one Falcon finding the back of the net either, as 11 payers have scored. Cameron Yriondo scored his first career goal last Saturday. Andrew Tran and Demian Alvarez are tied with a team-high three goals each.
They're coming off of one of their biggest defensive efforts of the season last Thursday night. The Falcons shut down Simon Fraser on their field in a 1-0 win on Sept. 29. Lars Helleren was outstanding, facing 11 shots while making six saves in his fourth shutout of the season.
For the Falcons, it's another week to prove what we've learned about them to this point. Their well-rounded offensive efforts have brought them to the top half of the conference. Their defense will need to continue to stand firm in key moments. They'll have another chance to put it all together this Thursday when they visit Saint Martin's for a 3 p.m. kickoff.
SCOUTING THE SAINT MARTIN'S SAINTS (2-7-1, 2-2 GNAC)
The Saints landed sixth in the GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll after going 4-13 in 2021. A tough non-conference schedule has attributed to a slow start for the Saints this season. They've taken on tough teams from the CCAA in CSULA, Chico State, and CSU Dominguez Hills.
The team's struggles can be attributed to some challenges defensively. The Saints have allowed 30 goals this season for an average of three goals per game. Between Hunter Askland and Nick Mueller, SMU has made 41 saves this season. Mueller has been getting starts recently and earned a shutout against MSU Billings last Thursday.
The Saints picked up two victories last weekend. They scored three goals on their way to a shutout against MSUB on Sept. 29. Last Saturday, the SMU offense erupted for five goals in a 5-2 win over Western Oregon. Ethan Jud is a proven offensive threat for the Saints, racking up five goals this season. Judd is coming off a week where he was named GNAC Offensive Player of the Week. Diego Andrade (3) and Arjun Gill (2) also have multiple goals.
