SEATTLE – The Seattle Pacific University men's soccer team continues Great Northwest Athletic Conference play this weekend with two road matches against two of the best teams in the conference. It starts on Thursday, when the team travels to Burnaby, B.C. for a match against Simon Fraser at 7:30 p.m. before taking on Western Washington in Bellingham, Wash. On Saturday at 7 p.m.
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"We have a great opportunity this week against two of the top teams in the conference," head coach Kevin Sakuda said. "Simon and Western are good teams that are well coached, organized, and have deep rosters. We know we must be at our best to get what we want from the games. As a competitor, these are the type of games that are fun to be a part of. We believe in this group and are excited about the challenge."
WHAT'S THE STORY THIS WEEK
The Falcons are facing what could be their toughest test early in their conference schedule this week.
Many expected Simon Fraser and Western Washington to be two of the top teams in the conference. So far, both have lived up to their preseason hype. Both teams are playing suffocating defense allowing just five goals each this season. WWU has established itself as a top offensive team in the league, leading in several categories to this point.
The Falcons appear to be ready for this early-season test. They broke out two weeks ago in their final non-conference matches of the season scoring eight goals in two matches. Last weekend, they opened GNAC play with a firm 2-0 victory over Western Oregon and a resilient effort to leave MSU Billings with a 1-1 draw.
The Falcons rank second to Western in shots, points and assists. The Vikings have scored 15 goals, trailed by 14 from the Falcons. Nine different Falcons have found the back of the net this season. Andrew Tran and Demian Alvarez lead the team with three goals each, while Donovahn Allen has scored a goal in back-to-back matches last weekend.
Defense will be paramount for the Falcons this weekend. Lars Helleren has been solid for SPU, owning three shutouts this season. He ranks fourth in the GNAC in goals against per game with 1.35. Experience from Ed Weise, Evan Aune and Aidan Thrall is something the Falcons could lean on to slow down their opponents on Thursday and Saturday.
The Falcons are prepared for this weekend's tests against Simon Fraser and Western Washington. Scores are revealed on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. against the Red Leafs and Saturday at 7 p.m. against the Vikings.
SCOUTING THE SIMON FRASER RED LEAFS (4-2, 1-0 GNAC)
The Red Leafs were chosen to win the conference in the Preseason Coaches Poll. The team received five of the seven first-place votes and checked in with 47 total points. A season ago, they used a late October run to make its charge at the title, winning four straight at one point and closed the year by winning five of its final seven matches. The team won with defense, allowing just 20 goals all season, but scored just 17 of its own. The goalkeepers amassed 1.23 goals against average and led the conference with seven shutouts as SFU finished 9-7-0 overall and 6-4-0 in conference play (18 pts.)
The team has been strong to open up in 2022. Their non-conference matches feature a 2-0 win over Sonoma State and a 1-0 win over Chico State. Most recently, the Red Leafs took down MSU Billings 2-1 last Thursday in Montana.
Devin O'Hea has been the team's best scorer thus far. He's scored three goals and dished out an assist. Alan Camacho soto is the only other Red Leaf to score multiple goals with two. Justyn Sandhu has been great between the posts for the Red Leafs, owning three shutouts and a .875 save percentage through six matches.
SCOUTING THE WESTERN WASHINGTON VIKINGS (6-0-3, 2-0 GNAC)
The Vikings were picked to finish second with 40 points in this year's GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll. They split the remaining two first-place votes with SPU. WWU finished 7-8-2 overall and 5-3-2 in the GNAC (17 pts.) and won five straight over the final three weeks of the season to be in contention for a share of the title. The Vikings ranked second to Seattle Pacific in most conference offensive statistical categories, including goals (26), assists (22), and shots (227).
The Vikings haven't lost yet this season, touting a 6-0-3 record. Standout non-conference matches included a draw with West Texas A&M, which ranked 17th in the country at the time of the match. WU also took down Colorado School of Mines 2-1 and Regis 3-2 in impressive road victories.
Albin Jonsson has been spectacular for the Vikings. He's netted six goals, paired with three assists, and has accrued 15 points. He leads the league in goals and points early on this season. The Vikings are deep, as seven players have scored at least one goal this season. Kaydin Wall is the only other WWU player with multiple goals this season (2). Patrick Restum has played all but one match in goal for the Vikings. He has three clean sheets and a .839 save percentage.
