Conference counters. While the playoffs remain the prime focus, Seattle Pacific University's three-year stranglehold on conference supremacy will be tested in two upcoming games. The No. 22-ranked Falcons (7-3-0), winners of six straight going into Tuesday's (Oct. 2) non-conference bout with Cal State Bakersfield (5-7-0), face their two chief rivals for the Great Northwest Athletic Conference crown within three days. Saturday night (Oct. 6) Seattle University (6-3-0) visits Interbay Stadium and on Monday night (Oct. 8) comes the twice-delayed road encounter with Western Washington (5-6-0).

Here they go again. By Labor Day weekend the Falcons resembled cooked birds on the barbecue; with a record of 1-3-0 it seemed time to skewer them with a fork. But, as has become habit over the last half-dozen years, the team has righted itself and again surged into the race for one of two postseason berths in the region. To be fair, each of the three losses were to teams which were ranked among the top 20 in NCAA Division II last week. Since Sept. 1 and an overtime setback to defending national champion Cal State Dominguez Hills, SPU is rolling. Actually, make it steamrolling. The Falcons have out-scored opponents 21-6 during their six straight victories, including a 6-0 romp over Northwest Nazarene in their GNAC opener last week.

Movin' on up. A consequence of the dramatic comeback has been a corresponding rise in the regional and national rankings. Dropped from both polls in early last month, Seattle Pacific has methodically moved back into the Far West top five, reaching No. 3 this week, and is now No. 22 in Div. II.

Another game, another goalscorer. For the past 10 years Coach Cliff McCrath has had teams blessed with at least one prolific goalscorer, including four All-America strikers: Vasco Rubio (1990), Jason Dunn (1992, '93), Ricci Greenwood (1995) and Dana Garner (1998, '00). But the attack in 2001 is more broad-based. Seven different players have scored between 3-4 goals and McCrath's No. 2 man in assists plays left full back. Last week the Falcons scored nine goals in two games with eight different players finding the net. Only Grant Falco (Jr., Spokane, Wa./University), who had a goal and an assist in both matches, scored twice. In fact, Falco has contributed at least one point during each of the six straight wins with a total of three goals and six assists and was selected as GNAC co-player of the week for his six points last week.

Everybody's got a job. In McCrath's four-man midfield, everybody seems to have a particular job description. Working in tandem in the middle are Max Leinbach (So., Eugene, Or./South Eugene), an industrious ball-winner, and Erik Skipper (Sr., Hillsboro, Or./Glencoe), a four-year starter who might be a second sweeper one minute and an attacking playmaker the next. On the left side is Michael Schefter (So., Yakima, Wa./West Valley), a sometimes-target man and the guy whose three goals kick-started the win streak in California. Finally, some of the best crosses come from the right wing where Bob Schefter (Sr., Yakima, Wa./West Valley) has become a solid two-way contributor.

Footnotes. Mike Pardini (Jr., Pasco, Wa.), with five assists in the last four games, now trails only Falco (7) in the GNAC. Falco is No. 2 in GNAC total points (15) and Skipper's fourth (10). SPU leads in goals per game (2.70) while Seattle U. is the leader in goals-against average (1.33)...Scoring his first goal vs. NNU was Manfredo Rendon (Fr., Bellingham, Wa./Sehome)...Along with Skipper and Falco, Joe Kinzel (So., Shoreline, Wa./Shorewood) also had three points in that game...The Falcons took command of the NNU game by scoring three times in a span of 4:44...David Smith (Fr., Corvallis, Or.) got his third goal in four games vs. the Crusaders...Skipper was back in the starting lineup vs. NNU after missing the San Francisco State game with an injured ankle. McCrath replaced all of his starters at halftime...Seattle Pacific's game at Simon Fraser, originally scheduled for Sept. 15 and later postponed to Oct. 10, has been canceled.

Opponents & series notes. Cal State Bakersfield, a playoff rival of Seattle Pacific during the Nineties, is struggling to stay in postseason contention. The Roadrunners, playing their eighth straight game on the road, have been shut-out in their last two games and trail the series 7-3-1. SPU is 41-6-2 at Interbay since the facility opened in 1997...In the last five meetings since 1996, SPU and Seattle U. have split, 2-2-1, including a home win by each team a year ago. The Redhawks, who hope to have star forward Ian Chursky back from a bout with pneumonia by Saturday, are looking for their first win on the Falcons' home field since 1978. The series stands 34-10-8 in favor of Seattle Pacific...This will be the Falcons' first trip to Bellingham since 1990. They have not lost to the Vikings since 1970, winning 29 and tying two. The game at Civic Stadium will be played on artificial FieldTurf. The game was first rescheduled for Sept. 27 after originally being Sept. 12.

Tickets, Please. Ticket prices for all SPU regular season home games are $7 for reserved and $5 for general admission, with students and senior citizens receiving G.A. tickets for $3. Group and team rates are available by phoning (206) 281-2085 in advance.

Coaching Staff. Cliff McCrath begins the 2001 season as the active leader among all divisions in career coaching victories. He needs 17 to surpass San Francisco's 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.