SEATTLE – The Seattle Pacific University men's soccer team takes its first road trip of the season for a pair of matches in Salt Lake City, Utah. On Thursday, the team faces Regis at 3:30 p.m. PST before taking on host RV Westminster on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. PST.
LAST TIME OUT
The Falcons played an up-and-down weekend at home, splitting matches against Cal State Dominguez Hills and #3 Cal State LA.
SPU fell 6-2 to CSUDH last Thursday. Raymundo Mendez and JJ Diaz scored goals for the Falcons, but a second-half surge from the Toros proved too much. The last time the Falcons allowed six goals happened on Oct. 6, 2018, when Simon Fraser took down the Falcons 6-1 at home.
Last Saturday, the Falcons earned a hard-fought 0-0 draw with #3 Cal State LA. Pierluca Carnovale was superb for the home team. He faced 22 shots from the Golden Eagles, with seven on goal. He saved all seven, including a penalty kick save. The grad transfer from Willamette picked up his second shutout in four matches for the Falcons. Carnovale and the Falcons achieved all this while playing a man down for most of the second half.
AROUND THE GNAC
The Falcons are hovering around the top half of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference early in 2024. They're tied for third with 1.25 goals per game. SPU is second in the conference in assists with four in four matches played. They sit in fourth in opponents scoring average.
Mendez leads the conference in shots (12) and shots on goal (7) and is joined by teammate Judah Johnston with the most goals scored in the league with two. Mendez and Johnston are tied for the most points in the conference with five each.
Carnovale is tied for the most shutouts in the conference with two. Evan Aune, Isaac Ketcham, and the rest of the defense are playing well in front of him, as he's made 15 saves. The total is the second-fewest in the GNAC.
ABOUT REGIS
The Rangers landed tied for seventh in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) preseason coaches poll. Regis returns three 2023 All-RMAC performers to the fold, looking to build on last season's 6-10-2 mark that included a 4-5-1 record in conference matches. So far in 2024, they've scored five goals, with two from Elias Taubo. Jacobo Betancourt-Tovar makes things happen offensively, leading the group with two assists. Greg Squire is in goal and has made 15 saves in four matches. The Rangers are 0-0-4 entering the weekend.
ABOUT WESTMINSTER
The Griffins earned a sixth-place spot in the RMAC preseason coaches poll. They've opened 2024 2-0-2, and are receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches national poll. Jack Cardwell leads the Griffins with three goals in four matches. Landon Ward has scored twice as well. The well-rounded attack also features Cam Neeley and Broc Underhill, who are tied with a team-high two assists each. Roark Looney has been in goal for the Griffins, allowing just three goals while making 22 saves and boasting a save percentage of 88.
SPU SOCIAL
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