Quick fix needed. In danger of slipping out of postseason contention early, Seattle Pacific University's hopes of reaching the NCAA Division II men's soccer playoffs for the 12th consecutive season may hinge on the outcome of its two games this week. The Falcons (1-3-0) will try to stop a three-game losing streak Tuesday (Sept. 4) at Cal Poly Pomona (0-2-1) before wrapping-up their 15-day, 6-game road trip Thursday (Sept. 6) at UC San Diego (0-1-0). Great Northwest Athletic Conference play begins Sept. 12 at Western Washington, the seventh of eight straight road games to open the season.

Tough luck or tough foes? While most coaches fluff-up their early-season schedules with creampuffs, Cliff McCrath has always chosen to test his teams by fire. But this time, with such a young and inexperienced side, the move may have backfired. The Falcons have given-up early goals in each of their last three outings, then managed to come back twice, only to drop two games to top-four foes in overtime. Last week began with a 2-1 extra time loss to No. 4 Lewis and it ended with a 3-2 overtime defeat at No. 1 Cal State Dominguez Hills. In the latter, SPU held a 2-1 lead going into the final 4 minutes. Each of the losses this season were to teams ranked among the top 13 in this week's national poll.

Skipper leads by example. Seattle Pacific has sputtered along in the first few games, scoring just six goals and only three during the run of play. But it's when the ball is stopped that midfielder Erik Skipper (Sr., Hillsboro, Or./Glencoe) has proven most dangerous. All three of Skipper's goals have come either from free kicks or from the penalty spot. He is one of only two seniors on the squad and the only holdover from the 1998 team which went to the NCAA semifinals.

Settling on starters. What was unsettled is now firm, and what was once decided is no undetermined. McCrath had initially indicated that he would alternate his starting goalies for the first half-dozen games, but he has now opted to go indefinitely with James Ward (Fr., Salem, Or./Sprague). Ward has made three starts and has one win with a goals-against average of 1.91. At Chico State he was moved up front for the final 3 minutes in a ploy to get the tying goal. The 10 starting field players were relatively set for the first three games, yet the coach moved three freshmen into the lineup, joining Ward, at Cal State Dominguez Hills. Only Skipper, forward Grant Falco (Jr., Spokane, Wa./University), midfielder Michael Schefter (So., Yakima, Wa./West Valley), and defenders Max Leinbach (So., Eugene, Or./South Eugene) and Matt Laughlin (So., Selah, Wa.) have started each of the four games.

Not the end of the world. Although the Falcons are in danger of losing four in a row for only the third time since 1970, the slow start is not exactly a death knell. A year ago, SPU lost four straight to open 2-4-0 and drop out of the regional rankings. But it then went unbeaten (11-0-1) in the final 12 regular season games to make the playoffs. Also, in 1998, Seattle Pacific finished September 3-4-2 yet recovered to win the region and make the semifinals.

Footnotes. The Falcons have been out-shot 56-26 and have only nine corner kicks to the opponents' 24...Although the team has not been held scoreless, the six goals is the lowest four-game total since 1982...Along with Skipper, Brent Egbert (So., Bellingham, Wa./Sehome) scored last week. He came off the bench for the first goal at CSDH...The school record for consecutive losses is six, set in 1968, the first season of varsity play. SPU lost 10 in a row over two seasons, from 1968-69...In the last 30 years, the Falcons have failed to make the NCAA playoffs only twice, in 1982 (after a 3-5-0 start) and 1989 (3-4-1)...SPU not only dropped out of the national poll­it was No. 13 in the preseason issue­but its current record is not eligible for regional ranking either. The nation and Far West is currently topped by Cal State Dominguez Hills. Chico State, 12th nationally, is next in the region, followed by Sonoma State, UC Davis and Cal State Bakersfield. The Falcons host the latter three at Interbay between Sept. 20-Oct. 2. The top two teams in the region qualify for the playoffs.

Opponents & Series Notes. Cal Poly Pomona was the only team to defeat SPU at home in 2000, however that was the Broncos' sole victory in nine meetings and the Falcons have won all five on the road...Seattle Pacific and UC San Diego have not met since 1982 when the Falcons won 4-1 in the teams' only meeting. The Tritons, three-time Division III champions before moving to Div. II last year, lost their opener to Western Washington, 1-0, in overtime.

Coaching Staff. Cliff McCrath begins the 2001 season as the active leader among all divisions in career coaching victories. He needs 23 to surpass San Francisco¹s recently-retired Steve Negoesco (543) as the all-time leader. McCrath has led SPU to a record 27 NCAA playoff appearances, including berths in each of the last 11 years, and five national titles (1978, '83, '85, '86 and '93). He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame and is a past national coach of the year. His staff includes former Falcons Mark Metzger ('78 championship team), Peter Hattrup ('83 and '85 title teams) and Chuck Granade ('93 NCAA winners).