SEATTLE – It'll be another unique week for the Seattle Pacific University men's soccer team starting on Thursday when they host Simon Fraser at 5 p.m. Then on Saturday, the team travels to Billings, Mont. for a rematch with the Yellowjackets at 5 p.m.
QUOTABLE
"We are excited to have another game at Interbay this Thursday and continue to build off of the performance from the weekend. Simon Fraser is a top team. They are well-coached, have quality players, and will be extremely organized in all phases of the game. We are going to have to be at our best on Thursday to get what we want out of the game. We got back to our style and identity on Saturday and the boys were rewarded and that is exactly what I want to see from our team this week. It's a quick turnaround to fly out to Billings on Friday and face an opponent who is going to be extremely motivated to get a result. Any time you play someone so close to the last time, it presents some unique challenges and we will have to be ready to deal with any adjustments tactically or personally they make. Ultimately, we are always focused on the things we can control and being at our best." – head coach Kevin Sakuda.
GNAC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
The Great Northwest Athletic Conference announced its men's soccer weekly awards on Monday afternoon, and after recording his first career shutout, Cam Welty was named GNAC Defensive Player of the Week.
Welty got the start in goal for the Falcons against Montana State University Billings. He was supported well by defenders Evan Aune, Donovahn Allen, Jackson Goode, and Silvestre Vallejo. The group limited the Yellowjackets to just six shots. Welty made two saves over 90 minutes, recording his first collegiate shutout.
HOW THEY STACK UP
SPU improved to 1-1-1 in GNAC play. They're tied for third in the conference with Western Washington. Both the Falcons and Vikings have four points. Western Oregon leads with 10 pints, while Simon Fraser sits second with seven points.
STANDOUT STATISTICS
The Falcons are tied with Simon Fraser for the second-most goals with 15. The team creates corners as well, taking 54 so far this season. That's the second-most in the conference behind Western Washington.
Raymundo Mendez has been a welcomed addition to the SPU men's soccer program. In his first year with the Falcons, he's scored five goals in nine games. He's tied with Orlando Erazo for fourth in the league in goals. The duo ranks 5th (1.33 ppg) and t-6th (1.22 ppg) in points per game respectively. Cameron Yriondo has created offense for the Falcons this season. He has three assists and is tied for third-most in the league.
ABOUT THE RED LEAFS
The Red Leafs were tied for first in the GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll. They came off a season in which they were one of the best defensive teams in the GNAC, tying for first in the conference with 17 goals allowed and second with just one goal allowed per game on average. They've had a solid start to the 2023 season, going 2-0-1 in conference play, and are second in the standings.
The Red Leafs took two conference matches last weekend. They beat down Saint Martin's 5-0 before handling Western Washington 3-1. Defense is the calling card again, as SFU has allowed .78 goals per game. The offense is alive and well, as the team is finding the back of the net 1.67 times per game. Koji Poon leads the group with six goals, one assist, and 13 points over nine games. Michael Hennessy has played well with four goals and two assists.
ABOUT THE YELLOWJACKETS
MSU Billings are 1-2-0 in conference play, putting themselves in fifth place in the standings. The Yellowjackets play Northwest Nazarene on Thursday before a rematch with the Falcons from seven days before. MSUB has allowed 1.89 goals per game while scoring 1.44 goals per game. Ty Vohland leads the team with five goals and one assist in nine matches.
In their first meeting on Oct. 7, the Falcons scored three goals while shutting out the Yellowjackets. Offensively, the Falcons had a stellar day against the Yellowjackets. Raymundo Mendez scored his fifth goal of the season in the 28th minute. Orlando Erazo scored two goals, one in the 50th and the other in the 53rd minute.
