SEATTLE – This week in Seattle Pacific University athletics, men's soccer travels to Texas, women's soccer starts Great Northwest Athletic Conference play, and women's volleyball plays its first home weekend inside Royal Brougham Pavilion on Thursday and Saturday.
 
WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Thursday, Sept. 17 – 7:00 p.m.
vs. Western Oregon – watch – live stats – tickets
 
Saturday, Sept. 19 – 2:00 p.m.
vs. Saint Martin's – watch – live stats – tickets

FROM THE COACH
"The team is very excited for this next mini-phase of our season," head coach Jason Rhine said. "We will have two weeks at home leading up to the start of school, which will be a great segment to recover from all our travel as well as work on some of the small adjustments we hope to make coming out of the first few matches.  It meant a lot to finish the Alaska trip with a big win and an exciting match - definitely made the red-eye flight home more enjoyable and helps us bring some good momentum into this week's practices and matches."

ABOUT THE FALCONS

• The Falcons opened GNAC play by splitting two matches in Alaska last weekend.
• SPU fell 3-0 to Alaska Anchorage in their first GNAC game of the season.
  • Amaya Evans led the Falcons with nine kills while adding an assist and one block.
  • Christina Lopez led the Falcons with 16 digs.
• Last Saturday, the Falcons upset 16^th-ranked Alaska Fairbanks on the road in five sets.
  • Last Saturday's match snapped a four-match skid against the Nanooks, with the Falcons' last victory over UAF coming on Oct. 28, 2023, in Seattle.
  • The last time the Falcons beat a ranked opponent was Oct. 19, 2023, when SPU went on the road and beat No. 18 Central Washington in five sets.
  • The Falcons had 45 kills and a .132 hitting percentage for the match.
    • SPU took advantage of 32 attack errors from the Nanooks.
  • Evans had a game-high 15 kills on a .333 hitting percentage.
    • Evans 15 kills matched a career best from Nov. 15, 2025, against Western Oregon.
  • Audra Rose had nine kills while hitting .273, adding four total blocks defensively.
  • Peyton Ensign had 23 assists and 11 digs for a double-double.
    • Ensign recorded a double-double for the third time this season.
  • Lopez led the Falcons with 20 digs, while Megan Omlid had 17.
• The Falcons rank third in the conference by hitting .216 over 39 sets this season.
• SPU also ranks third in aces with 76 over 39 sets.

WOMEN'S SOCCER
Thursday, Sept. 17 – 3:00 p.m.
at Saint Martin's – watch – live stats
 
Saturday, Sept. 19 – 1:00 p.m.
vs. Western Oregon – watch – live stats – tickets

FROM THE COACH
"Conference play brings a new set of challenges," head coach Arby Busey said. "We are excited to get going with things, and look forward to those challenges. Starting on the road will be great; we have been really good so far this season playing on the road."

ABOUT THE FALCONS

• The Falcons' three-match winning streak ended in their home opener against Colorado Mesa last Saturday.
  • The Mavericks left Seattle with a 2-0 victory over the Falcons.
• The Falcons are tied with Simon Fraser for the conference lead in goals scored with nine in four matches.
  • The same two teams are tied for the conference lead in assists with nine.
• SPU ranks third in the conference in shots with 52 this season.
• Logann Dukes, Ashlyn Valdovinos, and Haley Teofilo are tied for second in the conference in goals with two each.
• Sophie Hanay leads the GNAC in assists with three in 2026.
  • Hanay, L. Dukes, and Valdovinos have a game-winning goal each and are tied for the most in the conference.
  • Hanay is ranked third in the conference in points with five this season.

MEN'S SOCCER
Wednesday, Sept. 16 – 5:00 p.m. PST
at Dallas Baptist – watch – live stats
 
Friday, Sept. 18 – 5:00 p.m. PST
at St. Edward's – watch – live stats
 
FROM THE COACH
"Our first road trip taught us that we can handle difficult environments and respond when we are faced with a little adversity," head coach Kevin Sakuda said. "We came away from that trip a better, more connected team. This week is another opportunity to show that growth. It's a quick turnaround to Wednesday, but we are excited to embrace the challenge."

ABOUT THE FALCONS

• The Falcons' four-match winning streak ended in their first road match of the season by the Rangers last Thursday.
  • The Rangers took the match 3-1 over the Falcons.
  • Rafael Lucio scored the only goal of the match for the Falcons against the Rangers.
    • Lucio has scored five goals in five matches for the Falcons, recording a goal in all but one match for SPU.
    • Thursday's goal was Lucio's fourth in three games for the Falcons.
• The Falcons rebounded well last Saturday, beating Westmont 1-0.
  • The Falcons scored in the 32^nd minute with some brilliant offense, as JJ Diaz and David Ochoa strung together passes that led to a goal from Cooper Schneider.
  • Schneider scored his first career goal and first career game-winner for the Falcons on Saturday.
  • Willem Ficek made three saves during the match on his way to picking up his second shutout of the season.
    • Ficek's first shutout came against then fourth-ranked Point Loma on Sept. 5.
• The Falcons are tied with Western Oregon and Saint Martin's for the most goals scored in the conference with 13.
  • SPU leads the league in shots with 84 this season.
• The Falcons rank third in the conference with eight goals allowed this season.
• JP Guzman ranks third in the conference in shots with 15 in five games played.
• Lucio's fourth in the GNAC in shots on goal with seven this season.
  • He ranks second in the GNAC with five goals scored in 2026.
  • Lucio and Judah Straight are tied for the conference lead in game-winning goals with two each.
• Ficek is tied for the conference lead in shutouts this season with two.
  • He ranks third in the conference in goals-against average with 1.33 per game.

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