SEATTLE – The Seattle Pacific University men's soccer team takes their final road trip of the season this weekend. It starts with a quick trip to Saint Martin's for a match on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. Then on Saturday, it'll be a mid-morning match against Western Oregon that kicks off at 11 a.m.
QUOTABLE
"We've got two big games on the road this week. Both places are difficult places to play, so it's important that we continue to focus on controlling what we can control and staying true to our way of playing with and without the ball. We were really pleased, especially with the second half on Saturday, so we are excited to build off that performance from Saturday." – Head Coach Kevin Sakuda.
HOW THEY STACK UP
After the cancelations of conference games, the GNAC has adjusted how the standings are decided. The standings are ordered based on average points per game for each team. SPU is 2-4-2 in conference play and owns one point per game. They trail Simon Fraser (2.71 ppg), Western Oregon (2.22 ppg), and Northwest Nazarene (1.25 ppg).
LAST TIME OUT
The Falcons traveled to Simon Fraser last Thursday. The Red Leafs went up 2-0 early, but SPU did all they could to get back into the game. Defensively, they shut out the Red Leafs and held them to just four shots in the final 45 minutes. Offensively, SPU had six shots, four more than in the first half.
Joseph Van Horn set the tone with a shot that hit the crossbar in the 46th minute. Orlando Erazo followed with shots in the 60th and 63rd minutes. Like Van Horn, Isaac Ketcham hit the crossbar with a shot in the 64th minute. Despite the offensive pressure, the Falcons were still looking for their first goal.
It came too late in the match for the Falcons. Diego Pena-Salgado set up Raymundo Mendez for a goal in the 90th minute. Mendez converted his eighth goal of the season. It was the third match in a row Mendez has scored in. It's the second time Mendez has scored in three consecutive matches this season. Unfortunately for the Falcons, the goal wasn't enough. SPU fell 2-1 to the SFU.
Last Saturday, the Falcons hosted Western Washington where once again the team was chasing an early goal. In the 56th minute, Mendez had a shot that was nearly in the goal. Somehow, the Vikings were able to keep it out of the net. Then, Jackson Goode had a diving header in the 68th minute that missed just right of the post. Aidan Drought sent in a strong, left-footed shot that missed wide left.
The Falcons finally found the equalizer in the 79th minute. Orlando Erazo worked the ball down the left side of the field. He found enough space to cross the ball into the center of the box. Tollan was there to tap it into a wide-open net from eight yards out. The goal tied the match at its eventual final score of 1-1.
ABOUT THE SAINTS
The Saints are 4-7-2 this season, with a 2-5-1 record in conference play. The Saints have struggled defensively, allowing 2.46 goals per game. Offensively, the team has scored a goal per game. Diego Andrade leads the team with three goals. Arjun Gill, Xander Koenig, and Angel Alvaredo-Fajardo follow with two goals each.
ABOUT THE WOLVES
The Wolves have played well in the program's second season, going 9-3-2 with a 6-1-2 conference record. WOU has allowed 1.36 goals per game. Offense has been their calling card, as they've scored two goals per game. Gabriel Silva has been electric, scoring nine goals with three assists for 21 points. Alejandro Velasco is dangerous too, with six goals and three assists in 2023.
