GNAC Title in 1st Year Home for three. Still very much in contention for the Great Northwest Athletic Conference championship in its first year, the Seattle Pacific University women's soccer team begins a three-game homestand next week. The Falcons (5-3-0, 6-8-1) aim to halt a two-game losing streak versus Humboldt State (3-4-1, 7-8-1) Monday night (Oct. 22). Next Saturday afternoon (Oct. 27) they will try to atone for an earlier loss to Northwest Nazarene (4-4-0, 10-4-0). The final home game is Nov. 1 versus current GNAC leader Seattle University.

The GNAC scoop. Despite allowing only two goals last week, the Falcons fell from their first-place perch in the conference. Seattle University took over the lead after handing SPU its first of two 1-0 losses. Now Seattle Pacific is tied with Western Washington for second place in the GNAC standings. The good news is that three of the four remaining games are at home, including the rematch with Seattle U. The lone remaining road game is Nov. 3 at Western Oregon.

Cookin' at home. Coach Bobby Bruch hopes to bolster a tepid offense back home at Interbay. Seattle Pacific did not score a goal in its two road outings last week, although it did out-shoot Central Washington 17-15. At home, the Falcons have fared much better, scoring seven goals in winning each of their three GNAC games at Interbay. SPU already owns an away win over Humboldt State, 3-2, Sept. 15 in Arcata, Ca.

Top o' the list. Leading the Falcons and atop the GNAC in several statistical categories in this inaugural season has been Andrea Larsen (Sr., Portland, Or./Central Catholic-Oklahoma State). Since season's outset, the blonde forward has landed herself on GNAC scouting reports and for good reason. In conference games, Larsen leads the GNAC in shots per game (4.0) and is tied for second in points (10) and goals (4). She has scored in each of the Seattle Pacific's three home conference wins and leads the team with six goals and 15 points overall.

Sanders sets 'em up. While Larsen is adept at finishing chances, Michelle Sanders (Fr., Centralia, Wa.) is the premier playmaker in conference play. Sanders has six assists in eight GNAC games, including three assists in four home games. The lanky redhead often begins the game on defense and shifts to forward later on. The SPU defense has certainly given the team a chance to win, holding each of the last five opponents to just one goal.

Footnotes. BreeAnn Milligan (Fr., Idaho Falls, Id./Skyline) returned to action at Central Washington after missing four games with a foot injury. Milligan started the first 10 games in midfield...Jennifer Hull (Fr., Eugene, Or./Sheldon) is fifth in GNAC goals-against average at 1.51. Her GAA in conference games in 1.37...Newcomer Angie Ocampo (Jr., Vancouver, Wa./Mountain View-Clark CC) was uniform but did not play last week. Ocampo, who came to Seattle Pacific on a track & field scholarship, played with LeRin Farrison (Jr., Vancouver, Wa./Mountain View-Highline CC) and Larsen while in high school...Sanders was credited with six shots at Central Washington­two more than the entire team fired at Seattle U...SPU is 0-5-1 when trailing at halftime...Five players­Larsen, Erin Roberts (Jr., Issaquah, Wa./Issaquah-Montana), Katie Lim (Fr., Hillsboro, Or./Hillsboro), Hull and Melissa Ellingson (Fr., Shoreline, Wa./Shorewood)­have started all 15 games this season.

Schedule & opponent notes. Three straight goals, punctuated by a Karen France (Fr., Woodland Park. Co./Palmer) strike in the 58th minute, earned the Falcons a win at Humboldt State. The Lumberjacks, after winning six in a row earlier this month, have lost and tied in their last two outings. Jenna Hunter of HSU leads the GNAC in total points (22), just ahead of teammate Gabby Ahmadia (20)...Northwest Nazarene beat Seattle Pacific 3-2 in the GNAC opener for both teams Sept. 5. The Crusaders' Mindy Gibbens is the GNAC co-leader in goals with eight. NNU is 5-0-0 in overtime games this season.

SPU Coaching Staff. Bobby Bruch was hired as the Falcons' first head coach on Oct. 17, 2000. Bruch, an assistant on the SPU men's squad at the time, had been a successful girls coach in Southern California. He guided the West Coast F.C. Shamrocks of Mission Viejo, Ca., to the 1998 U.S. under-19 girls championship and his teams made it to the semifinal and final each on one other occasion. As a player, Bruch was a starting midfielder on Seattle Pacific's back-to-back NCAA men's titles in 1985-86 and later played on championship teams for F.C. Seattle (1988) and the L.A. Heat (1991). Assistant coach Sharon Harrold, a graduate of Redmond's Eastlake High School, played at Texas Christian before graduating from SPU in 2001.

Tickets, please. General admission tickets are $5, with students and senior citizens receiving tickets for $3. Group rates are available by phoning (206) 281-2085 in advance.