26MSOC_Team_Celly
Rio Giancarlo
1
Stanislaus St. STANST (0-1-0, 0-0-0)
3
Winner Seattle Pacific SPU (1-0-0, 0-0-0)
Stanislaus St. STANST
(0-1-0, 0-0-0)
1
Final
3
Seattle Pacific SPU
(1-0-0, 0-0-0)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Stanislaus St. STANST 1 0 1
Seattle Pacific SPU 1 2 3

Game Recap: #25 Men's Soccer |

No. 25 SPU Opens Season With 3-1 Win Over No. 5 Stanislaus State

SEATTLE – The Seattle Pacific University men's soccer team's 2026 season opener featured a matchup of two ranked teams, as a pair of second-half goals lifted the 25th-ranked Falcons over 5th-ranked Stanislaus State 3-1 on Thursday night at Interbay Soccer Stadium.

FROM THE COACH
"Really proud of our guys tonight," head coach Kevin Sakuda said. "Stanislaus is an excellent team, and we knew this would be a big test to start the season.  It was really a complete performance. It's a great early-season result, but more importantly, it gives us a glimpse of what this group can be when we compete for everything and stay committed to our way of playing."

HOW IT HAPPENED
  • The Falcons got on the board first when JJ Diaz slid the ball to JP Guzman, who hammered it into the back of the net to put SPU up 1-0. In the 24th minute
  • The Warriors answered in the 34th minute when Alexis Cervantes snuck one past SPU keeper Willem Ficek to tie the game 1-1.
  • Just moments into the start of the second half, Isaac Ketcham moved the ball forward to newcomer Judah Straight, who skipped it into the back of the net from distance to put the Falcons up 2-1.
  • Rafael Lucia sealed it for the Falcons in the 88th minute with a goal that gave the Falcons a 3-1 lead, putting it out of reach of the Warriors.
FROM THE BOX SCORE
  • Stan State gained a slight advantage in shots (14-13), while the Falcons had five shots on goal to four from the Warriors.
  • Diaz and Lucio led the Falcons with three shots each.
  • Ficek played all 90 minutes in goal for the Falcons, making a game-high three saves.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
  • Guzman's goal was the first of his career with the Falcons.
  • Ficek, Straight, David Ochoa, Sam McAfee, and Isaac Grimes made their SPU debuts for the Falcons on Thursday night.
  • Straight's first career goal for the Falcons was also his first career game-winner in his first collegiate match at SPU.
  • Lucio scored for the fifth time since joining the Falcons before the 2025 season.
UP NEXT
The Falcons host Chico State on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. when they'll welcome back alumni of the program and celebrate the 40th anniversary of the 1986 national championship team at halftime of the match.
 
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