SEATTLE – The Seattle Pacific University men's soccer team plays its first home games of the season this weekend. The Falcon's home opener happens on Thursday at 7 p.m. against Regis. Then on Saturday, SPU hosts Colorado School of Mines at 5 p.m. and celebrates the history of the program during Legacy Night.
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"We are excited to be back at home and playing in front of our fans at Interbay this week. We've got two difficult games in front of us and we're hoping to put in two great performances to wrap up our nonconference schedule." – head coach Kevin Sakuda.
"We're constantly discussing continuing to raise the bar and improve everyday. This is a great chance to show who we are and how far we've come since the last time we played at home." – head coach Kevin Sakuda.
"This weekend is also an opportunity to celebrate our program's history during Legacy Night on Saturday. We hope all of our men's soccer alumni can make it out to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the program and also the anniversaries of some of the great teams that won national championships here." – head coach Kevin Sakuda.
LEGACY NIGHT
The Falcons have invited SPU men's soccer alumni to Saturday's match to celebrate the 55th Anniversary of the program, as well as three national championship anniversaries (1978, 1983, 1993). Program Alumni will be welcomed down to the field before kickoff for acknowledgment. Then at halftime, the 1993 national championship team will be presented with championship rings.
GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
The Great Northwest Athletic Conference announced its weekly awards on Monday afternoon, featuring Seattle Pacific University men's soccer player Raymundo Mendez as the Offensive Player of the Week.
Mendez was a key part of an offense that scored seven goals in two matches last weekend. He played 139 minutes, scoring two goals, with two assists and six points.
Mendez has three goals, two assists, and eight points thus far this season. He's tied for the most points in the conference. He's also tied for second in goals scored in the GNAC.
LAST TIME OUT
It was a wild weekend for the Falcons in Southern California. The team battled PacWest opponents Point Loma and CUI on Thursday and Saturday respectively. They'd leave the weekend with a road split.
The Falcons showed tremendous grit in their match against the Sea Lions, leveling the match three times before dropping it 4-3. Orlando Erazo, Luis Zazueta, and Mendez each scored for the Falcons.
Last Saturday, SPU played CUI in another thrilling match. JJ Diaz's first career goal came late, and it proved to be the game-winner for the Falcons as they left with a 4-3 victory. Mendez, Brady Fendrich, and Erazo were the other Falcons who found the back of the net.
ABOUT THE RANGERS
The Rangers are picked to finish in fifth place, according to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) preseason coaches poll. They received 62 points and garnered one first-place vote. The Rangers went 8-9-2 (5-3-2 RMAC) and took fifth in the league in 2022.
The Rangers bring back 16 players from a season ago. One of those returners is 2022 RMAC Player of the Year Rayhan Carlson-Du Toit, who finished the season third in the RMAC in goals scored (13) and tied for first in total points on the season (30). In his first season with the Rangers, the New Zealand forward also earned a spot on the All-South Central Region First Team in 2022.
The Rangers are 1-2-1 in 2023. Last weekend, they played two nationally ranked opponents in #9 CSU San Bernardino and #19 Cal Poly Pomona. The Rangers tied the Cayotes 2-2 last Thursday before falling to the Broncos pm Saturday 3-0.
ABOUT THE OREDIGGERS
The RMAC coaches selected Colorado School of Mines for a second-place finish in 2023. The team collected 86 points and two first-place finishes. The Orediggers went 13-5-3 in 2022, with a 9-1-0 RMAC record. They took the regular season and tournament titles for the 8th time in program history and made it into the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Head coach Greg Mulholland was named the 2022 RMAC Coach of the Year. He returns plenty of experience, including Honorable Mention All-RMAC selection Caelin David.
Mines has spent time in the United Soccer Coaches top 25 in 2023. It's been a slow start for the Orediggers, however. They've tied CSU Monterey Bay, #19 Cal Poly Pomona, and #9 CSU San Bernardino. The Orediggers play Western Washington on Thursday before facing the Falcons this Saturday.
