End of the line. Not wishing to repeat the past, the Seattle Pacific University men's soccer team hopes to stop it's losing streak at one game when it resumes Great Northwest Athletic Conference play Wednesday (Sept. 11) at Humboldt State (1-4-0). The Falcons (2-1-0/1-0-0) then wrap-up their Northern California road trip Saturday (Sept. 14) with an all-important visit to 10th-ranked UC Davis (4-0-1). The SPU home opener is Monday afternoon (Sept. 16) versus Notre Dame de Namur (3-3-1).

Never again. Coach Cliff McCrath has implored his squad to learn from the lessons of last season, when the Falcons twice swooned into mini losing streaks and, in the end, missed the NCAA playoffs for the first time in 12 years. Following a 3-1 setback at nationally-ranked Sonoma State, Seattle Pacific needs to rebound this week. The first month of the season has proven to be an accurate barometer for past SPU teams. In fact, of the 10 teams which reached an NCAA championship game, none entered October with more than two losses. Countdown continues. With 532 career wins, McCrath now trails retired San Francisco coach Steve Negoesco, the all-time collegiate leader, by 11 victories. McCrath has guided 33 Falcon teams to 447 wins since 1970. Seattle Pacific was the NCAA champion in 1978, '83, '85, '86 and '93. The Falcons have posted winning records for each of the last 31 years-a Division II record.

Solid start. Despite the loss at Sonoma, the team has started off strong despite a high turnover rate in the starting lineup and injuries to some key people. Striker David Smith (So., Corvallis, Or.) was front and center of victories over both Northwest Nazarene (7-0) and San Francisco State (2-0), scoring a pair of goals in each. In the first game, the Falcons erupted for four goals with a span of 27 minutes during the second half. In the opening game of the California junket, Smith scored early in each half while James Ward (So., Salem, Or./Sprague) made five saves to post his third career shutout.

Sprains and such. With four new starters, McCrath already knew it would take time for the Falcons to gel. Complicating matters, however, are injuries to two of his key newcomers. Ross Vaillancourt (Fr., Bedford, N.H./Manchester West), the high school All-America midfielder, has yet to play while recovering from a groin strain, suffered just prior to the team's departure. Vaillancourt had been projected as the starter alongside Michael Brkich (So., Vancouver, B.C./Vienna Christian-Chico State) in center midfield. In addition to Vaillancourt, SPU lost starting right back David Selby (So., Aloha, Or./Southridge-Warner Pacific) to an ankle sprain late in the game at San Francisco State. He is expected to miss 2-6 weeks while Vaillancourt could see some action next week.

Overhaul in back. Defense became a strength of last year's team by mid-October, but the backline is stronger still this season. The back-to-back shutouts of NNU and San Francisco State were the first by the Falcons in two years. McCrath has gone with returnee Matt Laughlin (Jr., Selah, Wa.) and rookie Mark Cox (Fr., Renton, Wa./Kentridge) in the middle, with team captain Mike Pardini (Sr., Pasco, Wa.) operating on the left. With Selby in the lineup, the back four averages over 6-foot-1 in height and answers McCrath's call for a greater physical presence at the back. Selby's place on the right was taken by Tyler Falco (So., Veradale, Wa./University), first, and also freshman Jeremy Bonner (Fr., Sammamish, Wa./Eastlake). Ward has started all three games in goal but was unleashed at forward in the final 30 minutes at Northwest Nazarene, scoring for the fourth time in the last five games he's gone up front.

Footnotes. In this week's regional rankings, Cal State Dominguez Hills is No. 1 and the Falcons seventh, behind UC Davis, Grand Canyon, Sonoma State, UC San Diego and Seattle U...Smith now has 10 goals in his first 16 college games. He missed the first six games of 2001 yet still finished as the team co-leader with six goals...The win by Sonoma was the first in 11 tries against SPU and Brandon Boone's hat trick was the first allowed by the defense since the 1994 NCAA semifinal when Oakland's Eli Tiomkin scored three times...The Oct. 21 game at Cal Poly Pomona has been moved from 4 p.m. to a 7 o'clock kickoff...Tom Funk (Fr., Orland Park, Il./Sandburg) joined an exclusive list when he scored in his first collegiate game. Funk also added an assist in the win over NNU...The seven goals in that game was the most scored by SPU since a 13-0 drubbing of Montana State Billings in 2000. Also scoring were Brkich, Grant Falco (Sr., Veradale, Wa./University) Michael Schefter (Jr., Yakima, Wa./West Valley) and Ward...Jeremy Yerkes (So., Gresham, Or./Gresham-Tacoma CC), who has started in Vaillancourt's absence, got the lone goal at Sonoma...Brkich drew praise from McCrath for his play, particularly in the first two outings. The Canadian Olympian leads the team with 12 shots.

Opponents & series notes. Seattle Pacific is 4-0-1 versus Humboldt, including a 5-0 home win last season. The Lumberjacks have yet to score a goal in the series. They will face the Falcons again in the regular season finale Nov. 9...UC Davis has lost eight of nine previous meetings with SPU but several of the Falcons still remember the Aggies' 1-0 upset playoff win in 1999. A year ago, Smith's overtime goal gave Seattle Pacific a 3-2 home win. Cory Janzen (Sr., Langley, B.C./Lynden Christian) has scored four goals in four career games against Davis, including a hat trick in 1999...Notre Dame de Namur extended the Falcons to overtime in 1999, losing 3-2. Grant Falco scored twice.

Tickets, please. Tickets for all SPU regular season games are priced $7 for reserved, $5 for general admission, with students and senior citizens $3.

Missing links. For the latest and best information on Seattle Pacific University athletics, stay where you're at -- on The Falcons Online. For updated standings and statistics, see the Great Northwest Athletic Conference web site.