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No easy matches. Seattle Pacific University's first home volleyball tournament in eight years is packed with plenty of playoff-caliber teams, and a lot of what happens in Brougham Pavilion this week could determine which teams advance to the playoffs. The Falcons take a 12-match home winning streak into Thursday night's (Aug. 30) encounter with No. 21-ranked Cal State L.A., then face Grand Canyon Friday night (Aug. 31) and both Cal Poly Pomona and Ferris State Saturday (Sept. 1). Great Northwest Athletic Conference play begins Sept. 6 at Western Oregon.

Postseason implications. Coach Kellie Radloff and her players know that the outcome of this week's matches, although relatively early in the season, could go a long way toward determining which teams qualify for the NCAA Pacific Regional in mid-November. Crossover matches between California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) teams and those from the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (SPU, Western Oregon and Western Washington) rate most significant. It certainly did in 2000, when a Seattle Pacific victory over Pomona early in the season helped the Falcons earn a regional berth at the expense of the Broncos and Grand Canyon. The CCAA has a reputation for being perhaps the strongest volleyball conferences at the Division II level and produced four of the six teams in the regional a year ago.

Three out of four ain't bad. If last season's 0-3 start resonated in the minds of the Falcons heading into the past weekend's tournament in Florida, they did not show it. Seattle Pacific quickly put to rest any speculation that it is a perennial slow starter by blowing past the first three opponents, dropping just two games in the process and reversing last season's start to 3-0. Playing without all-conference middle Monica Abrahamson (Sr., Spokane, Wa./Rogers), SPU fell to host and 14th-ranked tourney host Barry University in four games. Abrahamson is expected to be back in the lineup this week.

Slow starts for some. Most of the SPU Invitational tournament field will arrive in Seattle slightly bruised and beaten. Cal State L.A., ranked No. 6 in the national preseason poll, is just 1-3, including an upset loss to GNAC member Western Oregon last weekend in San Diego. Western Washington, which was picked to finish second to SPU in the GNAC, also started 1-3. Both Western Oregon ad Cal Poly Pomona are 2-2. Grand Canyon, like the Falcons, won three of its first four matches while Michigan's Ferris State swept each of its first four outings.

Price is right. Radloff knew all along that she had a true gem in freshman Cathleen Price (Fr., Gresham, Or./Sam Barlow), but even she could not have envisioned such a sensational start for Price in Florida. Not only did Price win a starting position but she finished the tournament second in team kills (53) and first in service aces (7) while hitting a lofty .331.

Leah, Leilani and Lesley. The Idiot's Scouting Report on the Falcons might read something like "Look out for the ladies whose first name starts with an L." Leah Wiiest (Sr., Spokane, Wa./Deer Park-Cornell), a unanimous all-conference pick as a junior, jumped right in where she left off, leading the team in kills (57, 3.80), digs (45, 3.00) and blocks (19, 1.27) and attacking at a .359 clip. Leilani Kamahoahoa (Sr., Oregon City, Or./Canby) attempted the most attacks (138), recording 39 kills. She now needs just 28 to supplant Stephanie Huffman at No. 2 on the career list and 34 more to break Danielle Dettorre's career record. Lesley Kamphouse (Sr., Sumas, Wa./Nooksack Valley) became a viable offensive threat as well, converting 19 of her 44 chances for a team-high .386 percentage.

Quick sets. SPU again received votes (7) in this week's national coaches poll but did not crack the top 25...Reserve hitter Carri Colvin (Jr., Vancouver, Wa./Prairie) proved invaluable in the wake of Abrahamson's injury, playing in all 15 games and hitting 30 kills on 70 attempts and averaging 2.87 digs...The only heat the Falcons faced in their first three matches was against Florida Tech. SPU dropped the first and fourth games, then faced a match point at 14-15 before recovering to win the fifth game, 18-16...Setter Katy Higgins (So., Redmond, Wa/Redmond) averaged 9.64 assists, 1.36 digs and served six aces.

Opponent and series notes. SPU won its only previous match with Cal State L.A. in 1994 but is 0-9 versus Grand Canyon and 1-5 against Cal Poly Pomona. This will mark the first meeting with Ferris State...Seattle Pacific is 22-29 vs. CCAA teams all-time.

SPU Coaches. In her first season as a head coach, Kellie Radloff's team earned its first trip to the NCAA tournament, won its division in the Pacific West Conference and advanced to the conference semifinals for the first time. It set a school record with 20 consecutive wins and equaled the marks for most wins (24) and fewest losses (6) in a season. Radloff, whose past collegiate experience included two years under JoAnn Atwell-Scrivner at SPU (1994-95) and one year at Syracuse, was the Falcons' starting setter from 1989-91, earning all-conference as a senior. She remains the SPU record-holder for service aces (142) in a career and single match assists (83). Hannah (Bradford) Walker is in her first season as an assistant coach. She was an assistant at Whitworth College for two seasons and owns the SPU career record for kills average (3.5). Antonela Secer, a native of Croatia, also joins the staff along with Jim Woolace, formerly a high school coach in Fairbanks.

Tickets, please. General admission seating for all SPU home matches is $5, with students and senior citizens $3. Groups or teams are eligible for discount rates by calling (206) 281-2085 in advance. Tickets for the tournament are good for the entire day's schedule of matches.